A regional point of viewComments to the Swedish report on the
Framework Convention
for the Protection of National Minorities

SCANIA – SKÅNELAND

This report was prepared by Scanian NGO organisations as a response to the
official report of 2001 from the Swedish Government to the Council of
Europe on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National
Minorities.

The comments on the various statements and opinions presented by the Swedish
Government in this report were prepared by Stiftelsen Skånsk Framtid in
collaboration with representatives of the Regional Council of Skåne
(Region Skåne) and other Scanian organisations.

This full report has been forwarded to the Directorate General of Human Rights,
Secretariat for the Framework Convention for the Protection of National
Minorities, F-67075 Strasbourg-Cedex.

COVER LETTER

Directorate General of Human RightsSecretariat for the
Framework Convention for the Protection of National MinoritiesF-67075 Strasbourg-Cedex

Marieholm,
Sweden, 25 October 2001

Ref.Comments on
the Swedish
report on the Framework Convention for theProtection of National Minorities

We are very pleased
and grateful to have been given the opportunity to review the Swedish
Government’s Report to the Council of Europe regarding the Council
of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities,
and that we have been encouraged to provide comments to the report.

The official policy
in Sweden on matters related to culture, language and minority issues are
based on the following assumptions:

A constitutional structure based on the
view of Sweden as one entity with “one
people with one language, one history and one national identity”.
A statement made in a government bill being presented to the state
parliament this month illustrates this. In the bill the Government
states “In the Swedish Unity State, contrary to federal systems,
there is no constitutionally based division of power between the state
and its local and regional parts”.

A basic official view of Sweden as a
cultural, historical and linguistic unit.

These
two assumptions have resulted in a policy where Sweden takes no
consideration of the regional cultural diversity prevailing in the country.
The regional cultures and languages are therefore being neglected. From a
Scanian point of view, we must protest when the Swedish State government
disregards our regional cultural and linguistic characteristics.

The Swedish government is presently attempting
to restrict or withdraw the limited political powers given to the elected
Regional Council of Skåne (Region Skåne) only recently in 1999. Through this government proposal, the power to exert regional political
influence will be removed from the region to the state government in
Stockholm 600 kilometers away, which is contradictory to the subsidarity
principle. This move will make it practically impossible to protect and
develop the regional language and culture in the region of Scania.

It is our view that
the regional cultural groups in Sweden will not be able to defend their case
without outside support. A successful rescue operation to preserve the
regional cultural patterns of Europe requires assistance from international
NGO organisations, the European Union, and the Council of Europe. This
applies not least to Sweden.

Comments to the
Swedish report on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National
Minorities

After
several studies, the Swedish parliament and government decided in December
of 1999 to ratify the Council of
Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
and the Council of Europe Convention
on Regional and Minority Languages. This forced the Swedish government,
for the first time in the modern era, to review its policies towards regions
and minorities. Previously, the government and public authorities have
ignored all attempts by indigenous populations, minorities, and regional
cultures to initiate a dialogue with the state.

The
background is clear. The official Swedish society has always portrayed
Sweden as a homogenous, cultural society based on the concept of ”one
people with one language, one history, and one national identity”. Swedish
cultural policies have been based on this thesis. All attempts at
questioning this myth have been met with silence. Official sources have long
claimed that modern Sweden was created through natural developments and
today the conquered and colonised areas are viewed as completely Swedish as
the original Sweden. They call this ”the world’s most successful”
re-nationalisation. In this Swedish unity, minor deviations are now
accepted, such as small groups of Sami, Swedish Finns, Roma, etc. The image
of Sweden that is always presented is of a country with no conflicts, a
country characterised by freedom, democracy and understanding of minorities.

This
is not a true picture. The official myth -
”one people with one language, one history and one national identity”
– is the result of government control of information provided through
schools and broadcast media. Deviating opinions were silenced and continue
to be suppressed and ignored.

In a
historical perspective, Sweden is a collection of countries and regions with
different backgrounds. The area that constituted the original Sweden was
Svealand and Götaland and this area was enlarged through colonisation of
Norrland and the conquest of territories with a Norwegian, Danish and
Gothnian background. These parts of present-day Sweden were incorporated
through often incredibly harsh and thorough methods. This applies to several
regions in Sweden: Jämtland, Bohus, Scania, and Gotland.

From
a Scanian perspective, we feel that we must not enter a common European
future based on a view of Sweden that is both deceitful and faulty. The
official image of Sweden as a homogenous country is maintained through
central power directives and central control of cultural life.

The
nuts and bolts of national self-understanding must be the knowledge that
Sweden is basically a multicultural state with different original regional
cultural groups. The background of these regional peoples, i.e. their
history and their knowledge of their own language cannot in the long term be
kept from these populations.

A
number of organisations in Scania, such as the Scanian
Academy and the Foundation for the
Future of Scania, have demanded that our regional cultural identity be
given the opportunity to be restored, to develop and made visible, for
example through recognition of its language and history. Through arrogance,
neglect, and bureaucratic management, the central Swedish powers have
opposed this.

The
SSF is an organisation that believes in cultural freedom and diversity.
Through peaceful and democratic means, SSF wants to improve the situation in
Sweden and that of other cultural groups around the world. SSF is a member
of international NGO organisations - Unrepresented
Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), Haag, Federal Union of European Nations (FUEN), Flensborg, and the European
Federation Maison de Pays (FEMP), Le Cannet. Since the end of the
1980’s, the SSF has acted on a number of cultural issues that involve
Scanian conditions.

The
SSF views as very positive the attempts on the part of the EU and the
Council of Europe to force the Swedish authorities to engage in a dialogue
regarding the existence and future prospects of regional cultural groups in
Sweden. The Scanian language and Scanian culture are on the verge of
extinction and sincere efforts must be made to counteract the forces that
work to destroy our culture and that Sweden up till now have allowed to
prevail in the country.

Enclosed
you will find Sweden’s report on the Council
of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
where the comments of the Stiftelsen Skånsk Framtid (the Foundation for the
Future of Scania) have been included.

Stiftelsen Skånsk Framtid, SSF
(Foundation for the Future of Scania)

THE MAIN DOCUMENT

Prepared by

by Stiftelsen Skånsk Framtid (SSF)

(The Foundation for the Future of Scania)

31 October 2001

This paper contains:
the complete Swedish report,
as well as
SSF:s comments to the statements made in it by the Swedish Government.

Swedish Report to the Council of Europeon the
Framework Convention for the Protection of National
Minorities

Comments by Stiftelsen Skånsk Framtid, SSF(The Foundation for the Future of Scania)

Initial report submitted in accordance with Article 25,
paragraph 1, of the Framework ConventionMinistry of Industry, Employment and Communications

Foreword

Sweden’s majority and minority populations have a history in common. Long
before Sweden became a nation state there were Sami in the country. The first
Roma and Jews came to Sweden in the 16th and 17th
centuries respectively, and Finland was in a union with Sweden for seven
hundred years. But we do not only have a common history but also a common
future. To ensure that it will be a future for everybody, it is required that
differences in origin, identity and belonging are respected and valued.

SSF’s Comments:
F-01

The Minister of Industry describes Sweden’s history without mentioning
the historic situation of Scania, or the situation in other conquered and
colonised regions of the country. The statement that "Sweden’s
majority and minority populations have a history in common" is patently
untrue. Scania was invaded, occupied, and very brutally incorporated with
Sweden after 1658. Prior to this year, Scania had its own history and it was
the heartland of Denmark. The policy of "Swedification" of Scania
through various means has been going on since 1658 and continues to this day.
As late as in 1811, the Swedish army was employed in interventions in
Scania.

In order for languages to develop and live on, it is required that they are
used. In order that cultures should be enriched and contribute to the
development of society, it is required that they have the scope to do so. It
is my hope that Sweden’s minority policy supports such development for the
minorities and minority languages and that these are thereby given the status
that they deserve.

SSF’s Comments:F-02

The Minister of Industry claims that a language only can develop and
survive if it is used. This is not correct. Languages can be recreated
even if they have not been used for some time. There are several
European examples of this. Scanian cultural organisations request that
the old Scanian language be given some form of recognition, so that
sufficient education can take place in our schools. This is necessary in
order to make literature in the Scanian language available to future
generations, as well as to enable the survival and further development
of the characteristic linguistic melody, phonetics, and vocabulary of
the Scanian language.

Sweden hereby submits its initial report on measures that have been
implemented up to 31 May 2001 in order to fulfil its obligations in accordance
with the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National
Minorities. On 9 February 2000, Sweden ratified the Framework Convention and
on 1 June of the same year, the Convention entered into force as regards
Sweden. Minority policy is still a new area in Sweden and further measures can
be needed.

The report is arranged and the answers are given in accordance with the
instructions specified by the Council of Europe in its explanatory report,
adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 30 September 1998 at the 642nd Meeting
of Ministers. In order to provide the reader with more comprehensive
information, answers to some of the questions are elaborated upon in the
Appendices.

Stockholm 1 June 2001

Mona Sahlin

Minister responsible for Sweden’s policy on national minorities

General remark: Whenever possible, accepted English names of Swedish
organisations are used in the report. When no established names exist, the
Swedish names are merely translated into English.

Section 1

The goals of minority policy

The goal of the Swedish minority policy is to provide protection for the
national minorities and promote their opportunities for influence and also
support their historic minority languages so that they are kept alive.

SSF’s Comments:
1 – 01

The Swedish Government claims that its goal is to protect minority
languages within the country. This is certainly an overstatement. The
Government has now been forced to do so because of the adoption of the
Council of Europe’s Convention for Minority and Regional Languages.
Sweden has no positive regional linguistic or cultural policies.

The basis for minority policies is contained in the Government Bill
1998/99:143 National Minorities in Sweden. The proposal contained in
the Bill was adopted by the Riksdag in December 1999 (Committee Report
1999/2000:KU6, Government Communication 1999/2000:69). The Government has
subsequently ratified the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for
Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or
Minority Languages.

SSF’s Comments:
1 – 02

The Swedish Parliament made a decision to ratify the Council of
Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National
Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
However, the basis for the Government inquiry became unclear when it
decided to treat the two different conventions as a single one and to
produce only a single Government Bill that was called "Steps
towards a minority policy". Consequently, it became impossible for
the Swedish Parliament to fully understand what exactly was decided when
the bill was presented. It also became impossible for the general public
to follow and understand the work. There was no popular participation in
this process at all.

Information concerning the status of international law in Sweden

International agreements, treaties and legal instruments do not
automatically become part of the national law of Sweden. Treaties that have
been concluded by Sweden must be incorporated into Swedish law in order to
apply before Swedish courts and public authorities. A common method to achieve
this is to incorporate a treaty into Swedish law by stating in the law or
other enactment that the provisions of the treaty apply directly in Sweden. A
treaty may also become valid in Sweden by so-called transformation, which
either involves the provisions of the treaty being translated into Swedish and
included in a Swedish enactment, or that the agreement is rearranged as a
Swedish statutory text. If the substantive provisions of a treaty correspond
with the content of current Swedish law, the legislator has considered that no
special procedure is necessary.

SSF’s Comments:
1 – 03

Throughout the years, Sweden has referred to legal transformation
– i.e. conventions are not incorporated into the text of laws, but
are interpreted in a suitable manner before they are approved by the
legislature. This is one of the reasons why Sweden was the last state
in the European Community to incorporate the Council of Europe’s
Convention on Human Rights dating from 1950 into its own law. As a
result, Sweden has not kept pace with the rest of Europe regarding the
development of issues such as cultural human rights. Sweden’s
ratification of a convention or a treaty has always been encumbered by
a number of limitations and adjustments.

Constitutional form

Sweden is a monarchy and the present Head of State is King Carl XVI Gustav.
The Swedish monarch does not have any real power and is separate from the true
government of the Realm. Sweden is a democracy with a parliamentary form of
government. Sweden has a single chamber parliament (Riksdag) and elections are
held every fourth year.

SSF’s Comments:
1–04

A few years ago, the Swedish Riksdag (parliament) increased its
mandate from three to four years. This further increased the distance
between the people and the national politicians. Sweden also has a
very rigid party selection system with few opportunities for the
democratic influences that are present with a system of voting for
individuals.

Historical outline

Finland was part of the Realm of Sweden from 1100 to 1809 and Norway was in
union with Sweden between 1814 and 1905. At the end of the 19th
century, Sweden was an agricultural society and one of Europe’s poorest
countries. During the 20th century, particularly in the post-war
period and the 1970s, Sweden enjoyed very rapid economic growth.

SSF's Comment:
1–05

The Swedish Government here provides the revised and official Swedish
description of history, a version that does not give a complete picture
of how the Swedish State was created. It is not possible to describe
Sweden’s history without giving an account of the military conquest of
Scania and other areas of the country. This type of embellishment and
concealment of actual facts characterises descriptions of Swedish
history in mass media and in education.

The Swedish conquest of Scania was not the smooth transition from
Denmark to Sweden that official accounts attempt to show. Instead, the
region was conquered with a military brutality that resulted in a
reduction of the population by 38% during the period from 1658 to 1720.
Following the invasion in 1658 and up to the latter half of the 19th
century, the government’s policy was to keep the people from any
contact with their former mother country of Denmark and their relatives
there. All Danish and Scanian literature was prohibited. Ministers of
the church who continued to give sermons in Danish or Scanian were
removed. Sweden contravened the "freedoms and rights" of the
Scanian population that had been guaranteed in the Roskilde peace accord
of 1658, the peace accord in Copenhagen in 1660, and the peace accords
in Lund and Fontainebleu in 1676.

Economic and demographic information

Populations[1] 8,883,590 (2000)

of which born abroad 969,000 (1998)

(corresponds to 10.9 per cent)

GNP per capita (TSEK) SEK 225.2 (1999)

GNI per capita (TSEK) SEK 221.3 (1999)

Sweden’s national debt[2] SEK 1,248 billion (2000)

The national debt corresponds to 59.7 per cent of Sweden’s GNP. The rate
of inflation was 1.7 per cent in 2000. Comprehensive information concerning
the national minorities, their history and demographic belonging is contained
in Appendix 1.

SSF's Comment:
1–06

The report neglects to mention the regional economic inequality that
is clearly indicated, e.g. by the RTD Index (Index of Research
Technology and Development). The central region of Stockholm/Svealand
occupies an incredibly dominant position economically in relation to
other regions in Sweden and not least to Scania. This has a directly
paralysing effect on economic developments in the rest of the country.

Promotion of Swedish minority policy

In order to emphasise the importance of minority issues in Swedish policy
and administration, they have been identified as a distinct policy area in
conjunction with the Riksdag’s review of the budget. Sweden also has a
minister with special responsibility for minority issues.

SSF's Comment:
1–07

The appointment of a minister did not bring with it any change in
the traditional, centrally controlled Swedish policy in the area of
culture.

The Ministry of Culture and its policy of strict central government
control of culture also obstruct regional cultural policies. A good
example of this central control is the fact that the issue of language
related to Sweden’s ratification of the Council of Europe’s Charter
on Minority or Regional Languages was first placed in the hands of
the Ministry of Agriculture. Then, when the convention was ratified,
the handling of the issue was transferred to the Ministry of Industry.
The Swedish government delegated issues related to the European
Minority Language year of 2001 to the Department of Education. It
appears obvious to us that all issues involving minority languages
belong with the Ministry of Culture. The fact that the Swedish
government does not see this, is a clear indication that it does not
want to accept any connection between culture and language.

To ensure that the objective with the minority policy is capable of
realisation, it is required that the needs and interests of all national
minorities are taken into account in all parts of the country and at all
levels in public administration. A fact sheet concerning minority policies has
therefore been sent to all municipalities and county councils in Sweden
together with a large number of state authorities. Furthermore, some thousands
of fact sheets have been distributed upon request. The establishment of a new
policy area may take some time and further development can be needed to make
the Swedish policy on national minorities better known.

SSF's Comment:
1–08

The Swedish Government here refers to fact sheets published by the
government itself that were to provide information about the situation
for the groups mentioned in the convention. In these fact sheets, there
is no information whatsoever about regional cultural identities in
Sweden. In the eyes of the Swedish government, our Scanian cultural
identity does not exist.

Section 2

Fundamental principles, Section 1 of the framework Convention

ARTICLE 1

The Protection of national minorities and of the rights and freedoms of
persons belonging to those minorities forms an integral part of the
international protection of human rights, and as such falls within the scope
of international co-operation.

The Swedish State is very interested in promoting international
co-operation to protect Sweden’s inhabitants from all forms of
discrimination and also to promote diversity and tolerance.

SSF's Comment:
2 - 01

The Swedish State confuses the issues by handling various concepts
in an unclear manner. The report refers to general human rights as
described in the UN convention on human rights from 1950 (protections
against torture, social rights, etc.). Sweden has never shown any good
will or interest in the requests from cultural groups for Sweden to
comply with regulations to protect cultural human rights. For
example, demands by Scanians for cultural recognition and
consideration have been either ignored or rejected.

Sweden collaborates on these issues within the following international
organisations relevant to national minorities:

UN

UNESCO

ILL

Council of Europe

Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

Council of the Baltic Sea States

SSF's Comment:
2-02

The Government here lists organisations with which the state cooperates.
There is no mention of minorities and regions – such as Scania – that
are members of several international organisations where cultural human
rights are being monitored.

Sweden is also a member of the European Union and participates actively in
the activities of the Union, among other things, within the European Centre
for Monitoring of Racism and Xenophobia.

Sweden has, in addition to the Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities, ratified the following international instruments of
importance for the protection of national minorities:

International Convention on the Elimination of all
Forms of Racial Discrimination, CERD

International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, ICESCR

International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, ICPR.

Convention on the Elimination of all forms of

Discrimination against Women, CEDAW

Convention on the Rights of the Child, CRC

European Convention on the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

European Social Charter

European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

See under Article 18 regarding bilateral treaties.

Sweden has ratified the European Convention on the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (The European Convention) 1952. The European
Convention has applied as Swedish law since 1 January 1995.

ARTICLE 2

The provisions of this framework Convention shall be applied in good faith,
in a spirit of understanding and tolerance and in conformity with the
principles of good neighbourliness, friendly relations and co-operation
between States.

ARTICLE 3

1. Every person belonging to a national minority shall have the right
freely to choose to be treated or not to be treated as such and no
disadvantage shall result from this choice or from the exercise of the
rights which are connected to that choice.

2. Persons belonging to national minorities may exercise the rights and
enjoy the freedoms flowing from the principles enshrined in the present
framework Convention individually as well as community with others.

There are no limitations in Swedish law regarding the right for persons who
belong to a national minority to choose to be treated or not treated as such
and nor is such a choice linked to any disadvantages under Swedish law. Nor
are there any provisions in Swedish legislation that impede persons belonging
to a national minority, either individually or as a group, from enjoying the
freedoms stated in this Convention.

SSF's Comment:
3 - 01

It is not sufficient for the law to be generous towards minorities
and regional cultural groups. The important issue is that nobody cares
about the law and that nobody is permitted to challenge the State with
the aid of the law. The fact is that up until the day Sweden became a
member of the EU, it was not even permitted by law to bring a court case
against the state or against individual public servants. This situation
is in violation of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Human Rights
from 1950.

Definition of national minorities

The concept of national minority is not defined in Swedish legislation. In
the Government Bill 1998/99:143 National Minorities in Sweden, it is
stated that the following criteria should be satisfied for a group to be
regarded as a national minority:

Groups with a pronounced affinity who, as regards
numbers in relation to the remainder of the population, have a
non-dominating position in society. The determination of the group cannot
only be made according to the numeric number of persons within the group
but importance must be attached here to the structure and unity of the
group.

Religious, linguistic, traditional and/or
cultural belonging. Only one of the listed characteristic features need
exist, but those characteristic features that the group demonstrates must
in some essential respect distinguish it from the majority.

Self-identification. The individual and also the
group should have a desire and ambition to retain their identity.

Historical or long bonds with Sweden. The
Government does not consider that it is possible to draw an absolute limit
measured in years. Minority groups whose minority culture existed in
Sweden prior to the 20th century may be said to satisfy the
requirement for an historic or long bond.

SSF's Comment:
3-02

Groups with a pronounced affinity. Because of their history,
their language and their Danish roots, Scanians have a strong sense of a
common cultural identity. This common identity is understood both by
Scanians themselves and by others who view it from the outside.

Linguistic, traditional and/or cultural belonging. Linguistically,
traditionally, historically, and culturally Scanians have a clear sense
of belonging that is distinct from other regional and cultural groups in
Sweden and Denmark.

Self-identification. Scanians identify themselves as Scanians
both at home and abroad. We demand that our identity be recognised and
respected by the Swedish government and not, as it has been up till now,
ignored.

Historical or long bonds with Sweden. Scania has been a part of
Sweden for 344 years, although this was not a choice made voluntarily by
its population.

National minorities

The minority policy decisions of the Government and Riksdag entail the
acknowledgement of five groups as national minorities in Sweden. These are the
Sami, who are also an indigenous people, Swedish Finns, Tornedalers, Roma and
Jews. For further information concerning the respective national minorities,
see Appendix 1.

SSF's Comment:
3 - 04

The various cultural groups in Sweden had little or no influence on
the investigative work and the government completely ignored the
regional cultural perspective in its preliminary work prior to the
parliament bill.

Other minority groups

Sweden is today a country characterised by ethnic and cultural diversity,
where every fourth inhabitant was born in another country or has parents who
were born abroad. The ethnic groups who in recent times have immigrated to
Sweden are, however, not regarded as national minorities as they do not
satisfy the criteria for national minorities established by the Government,
concerning among other things, a long historic bond with Sweden. For a report
on the largest foreign-born populations, see Appendix 2.

Statistics

Official Swedish statistics do not contain information concerning the
ethnic background of people. The figures stated in Appendix 1 concerning the
number of minority groups are rough estimates as methods do not exist for the
computation of ethnic belonging that are both ethically acceptable and
scientifically sound. The estimates are based on evaluations by researchers,
Government authorities and the minorities themselves.

Obligations in accordance with Section II of the Convention

ARTICLE 4

1. The Parties undertake to guarantee to persons belonging to national
minorities the rights of equality before the law and of equal protection of
the law. In this respect, any discrimination based on belonging to a national
minority shall be prohibited.

2. The Parties undertake to adopt, where necessary, adequate measures in
order to promote, in all areas of economic, social, political and cultural
life, full and effective equality between persons belonging a national
minority and those belonging to the majority. In this respect, they shall take
due account of the specific conditions of the persons belonging to national
minorities.

3. The measures adopted in accordance with
paragraph 2 shall not be considered to be an act of discrimination.

Equality before the law

In Sweden there are no provisions that allow discrimination on the grounds
of association with a national minority. On the contrary, it is a fundamental
principle in the Swedish legal system that discrimination shall not be allowed.

Chapter 1, Article 2 of the Instrument of Government[3] states
that public power shall be exercised with respect for the equality of all
human beings and for the freedom and dignity of the individual. It is further
stated that the possibilities of ethnic, linguistic or religious minorities to
preserve and develop a cultural life of their own should be promoted.

The provision comprises programme or objective provision and is not in the
nature of legally binding regulations. It state instead the objective of the
public activity and is thereby important for policy and moulding of opinion.

According to Chapter 1, Article 9 of the Instrument of Government, courts
and public authorities as well as others who carry out functions within the
public administration shall in their activities observe the equality of all
persons under the law and shall maintain objectivity and impartiality.

Chapter 2 of the Instrument of Government contains rules concerning
fundamental liberties and rights, such as the freedom of expression,
association and religion. It is prescribed inter alia, that no law or
other decree may imply the discrimination of any citizen on the grounds of his
belonging to a minority on account of his race, skin colour, or of a
particular ethnic origin (Chapter 2, Article 15, Instrument of Government).

The European Convention, which applies as law in Sweden, also contains
provisions of importance for human rights. It is prescribed by Chapter 2,
Article 23 of the Instrument of Government that a law or other decree may not
be made in violation of Sweden’s obligations pursuant to the European
Convention.

It is prescribed by Article 14 of the European Convention that the
enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in the Convention shall be
secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour,
language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin,
association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.

In conjunction with the incorporation of the European Convention into
Swedish law, a more precise definition of the right to property was introduced
(Chapter 2, Article 18 of the Instrument of Government). Furthermore, two new
fundamental freedoms and rights were introduced - the right to conduct
business operations or practise a profession (Chapter 2, Article 20 of the
Instrument of Government) and the right to education (Chapter 2, Article 21 of
the Instrument of Government).

The provisions of the constitution apply to Swedish nationals. Foreign
nationals are however, equated to a large extent with Swedish nationals in
accordance with the provisions of Chapter 2, Article 22 of the Instrument of
Government.

The provisions concerning fundamental freedoms and rights contained in
Chapter 2 of the Instrument of Government are legally binding and apply in the
relationship between the individual and "the State".

Sweden has ratified the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article
27 of the covenant entails that minorities should not be refused the right, in
community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture,
to profess and practise their own religion, or to use their own language.

Measures to promote equality

Legislation against discrimination

An important precondition to promote the achievement of a complete and
effective equality between persons who belong to the majority population and
persons who belong to a national minority is that there are means to
counteract discrimination.

There is a provision of Swedish criminal law concerning unlawful
discrimination, contained in Chapter 16, Section 9 of the Penal Code, which is
directly aimed at various kinds of discrimination. The provision concerning
agitation against an ethnic group contained in Chapter 16, Section 8 of the
Penal Code is also of interest in this context. A more detailed description of
the criminal law provisions that, in various ways, may counteract
discrimination is contained in Section 6.

There is also special legislation against discrimination contained in
labour law. The Measures to Counteract Discrimination in Working Life Act
(1999:130), which entered into force on 1 May 1999, contains a prohibition of
direct and indirect discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, nationality
or ethnic origin or religious belief. The Act applies throughout the entire
labour market and relates to all categories of employees and also job seekers.
According to the Act, nor may an employer subject an employee to reprisals on
the grounds of the employee having reported the employer for discrimination
under the Act. The Act also imposes an obligation on employers to implement
measures to impede ethnic harassment of employees. The employer shall also
implement active measures to promote ethnic diversity in working life. The
legal sanctions for violation of the discrimination prohibition are damages
and invalidity.

According to the Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination Act (1999:131),
the Government shall appoint an Ombudsman who shall work to ensure that ethnic
discrimination does not occur in working life or in other areas.

SSF's Comment:
4-01

The Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination in Sweden is prevented
from dealing with domestic cultural discrimination according to
government regulations and directives, which means that domestic issues
of minority and regional culture cannot be handled by this institution.
Previous attempts by cultural organisations in Scania to contact the
Ombudsman have either been ignored or rejected. There is no other
authority to turn to with these issues.

The Ombudsman also has the task of enforcing compliance with the Measures
to Counteract Discrimination in Working Life Act. The Discrimination Board,
which is also a government authority, shall ensure that the Act is complied
with. The Board shall, inter alia, provide the Ombudsman with advice on
issues of importance in principle concerning the application of the Act.

In December 2000, a special Commissioner was appointed for the purpose of
providing proposals on how, among other things, the EC Directive 2000/43/EC of
29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons
irrespective of race or ethnic origin should be implemented in Sweden. The
implementation of the Directive probably calls for certain changes to be made
to the Swedish legislation against discrimination. The Government has also
recently announced that it also intends to give the Commissioner the
assignment of investigating the possibilities of general legislation against
discrimination that covers all or the majority of the grounds of
discrimination and various areas of society. The intention is that the
investigation shall also review the various ombudsmen, including the Ombudsman
against Ethnic Discrimination, tasks and areas of responsibility and
deliberate upon the issue of an amalgamation of some or all of the ombudsmen
who report directly to the Government.

Other measures

In order to achieve the desirable goal, complete and effective equality
between all people in the population, specially targeted work may also be
necessary for groups that are disfavoured or under-privileged. Several of
Sweden’s national minorities have during previous periods been disfavoured
as regards speaking and learning their language.

SSF's Comment:
4-02

Both indigenous populations and regional cultural groups in Sweden
have been exposed to pure discrimination and persecution in several
areas, including the area of language. It must be pointed out that in
its Swedish texts, the Government does not accept the concept of
"people" but always uses the term "population". It
has also protested in the Council of Europe against the use of the
term "peoples" instead of "population".

This means that a large number of people have not received sufficient
training in their own language, as they did not have the opportunity of
speaking their language at school. Today the situation is different and the
State has implemented several measures, particularly in the areas of language
and education, to promote these national minorities. Among other things, two
new acts[4] have been passed in conjunction with Sweden ratifying
the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages which provide
individuals with the right to use Sami, Finnish and Meänkieli before courts
of law and administrative authorities. According to these acts there is also a
right to pre-school activities and care of the elderly in these languages.

Sweden is also working in other ways to promote equality between people who
belong to the majority and minority populations. Among other things, special,
more advantageous rules on mother-tongue education in certain minority
languages have been introduced. There are also special advantageous rules for
state press support for newspapers that are directed towards linguistic
minorities.

SSF's Comment:
4-03

Swedish policies towards minority languages, even in present times,
have only involved immigrant groups. Domestic regional languages – for
example Scanian and Gothnian – are still being denied recognition and
are not accepted in Swedish administrative circles or in national
political circles organised by political parties.

Furthermore, the Sami have an opportunity of attending a State Sami school,
where the teaching is partly conducted in Sami. Special government funds have
been appropriated to support this activity. The work in the field of language
is reported in detail under Article 10 and, as regards mother-tongue education,
under Article 14.

Promotion is not discrimination

The measures that have been taken in accordance with Article 4.2 of this
Convention do not comprise discrimination according to Swedish law.

ARTICLE 5

1. The Parties undertake to promote the conditions necessary for persons
belonging to national minorities to maintain and develop their culture and to
preserve the essential elements of their identity, namely their religion,
language, traditions and cultural heritage.

2. Without prejudice to measures taken in pursuance of their general
integration policy, the Parties shall refrain from policies or practices aimed
at assimilation of persons belonging to national minorities against their will
and shall protect these persons from any action aimed at such assimilation.

Paragraph 1

Religion

The Church of Sweden was, up to 1 January 2000, part of the Swedish State
and its activities were, to a great extent, governed by the rules of
administrative law. Following the national church reform, the Church of Sweden
left the State. A starting point for the reform was to increase equality
between various religious communities, another was that the Church of Sweden
should, to the greatest extent possible, be allowed to regulate its own
affairs itself.

In accordance with the freedom of religion, Sweden does not have any
religion that is acknowledged or not acknowledged respectively. Some religious
communities have received a permission to practise certain activities (for
example the right to perform marriage ceremonies), they can obtain State
grants or assistance with charges, they can conduct their activities as a
legal entity "registered religious community" (which was introduced
in conjunction with the State church reform). However, it is the individual
religious communities that decide whether or not they should apply to become
subject to this systems of rules; the circumstance that a religious community
elects to remain outside does not mean that it is less "acknowledged"
than other communities.

For further information concerning religion and religious communities, see
under Article 8.

SSF's Comment:
5 – 01

The Church of Sweden continues to be indirectly controlled by the
state since elections to church boards take place through the election
of the same political parties that govern municipalities, county
councils, and the Swedish parliament.

Language

In Sweden, Swedish is spoken in official contexts and by the vast majority
of the population. The Swedish language is not prescribed by law as an
official language. The Government has assembled a parliamentary committee, the
Committee for the Swedish Language (Ku 2000:03), which has been given
the assignment of presenting a proposal for a plan of action for the Swedish
language. The Committee has, among other things, been given the assignment of
considering whether the status of the Swedish language should be regulated by
law. The Commission has also been given the assignment to provide proposals on
the future function and organisation of language care services. The language
situation in Sweden means language care services for the minority groups will
be afforded attention. The Commission shall report on its assignment to the
Government not later than 30 November 2001.

The official language in Sweden originated in the Mälardalen, the
region that includes Stockholm. Through power and law, this regional
language was turned into the only language used in official contexts
in the entire country, including schools and mass media. This
linguistic policy is now being questioned in various parts of the
country, but there is no response from the state powers.

There are currently strong central forces – also in parliament
and government – working against this challenge from the regions.
The government is now working to establish the language of Mälardalen
as the only official language in Sweden.

The work being done by the Swedish Language Committee has as its
goal to strengthen the Mälardalen-based language in Sweden at the
expense of the small regional languages. There is serious concern in
the regions that this legal reinforcement of the Swedish Mälardalen
language will take place at the expense of the regional languages in
the country.

Regional languages in Sweden are vulnerable and close to extinction.
No efforts are made to promote or protect languages in the regions and
the Swedish State controls 100 % of the funds allocated to this type
of cultural activity.

The Swedish Language Committee is working in isolation with no
contact or dialogue with the different regional and cultural groups in
Sweden.

Culture

The national culture support, which is managed by the National Council for
Cultural Affairs, has as of 2000 been reinforced in order particularly to be
able to take into account national minorities when allocating support. Funds
have been appropriated to promote the extension of literature in minority
languages and also to promote the issue of national minorities’ cultural
periodicals.

SSF's Comment:
5-03

The Swedish Council for Cultural Affairs does not accept the
pattern of regional cultures that exists in Sweden and its work is
based on the preconception that Sweden is a homogenous cultural unit.
This is not the case. Expressions of regional cultures are ignored.

These funds relate in the first instance to production support, but may to
some extent also be used for various projects or information work aimed at
stimulating publication. The Council for Cultural Affairs has also been given
the assignment of examining how the culture of national minorities should be
afforded sufficient scope in Swedish cultural life. This assignment has
recently been reported to the Government in the report The National
Minorities and Cultural Life (2000:4). The Report describes the various
prerequisites and needs felt by these minorities within the field of culture
and also draws the attention of the Government to a number of areas where the
National Council for Cultural Affairs considers that there is a need for
measures. The proposals of the Council for Cultural Affairs are currently
being considered within the Government Offices.

Within the framework of cultural policy, special funds are allocated to
Sami culture. The aim is to preserve, promote and disseminate knowledge about,
among other things, Sami crafts, art and design, music, dramatic art and
literature. The funds allocated are at the disposal of the Sami and
distributed by the Sami Parliament Culture Council in accordance with criteria
methods laid down for the grant of contributions by the Sami Parliament[5].
Contributions are provided to non-profit Sami organisations at local and
national level, education and research, and also to projects dealing with Sami
culture. Furthermore, special resources are being devoted to the Sami language
and culture through the current work with the establishment of a Sami Theatre
Institute.

Paragraph 2

Integration policy

No policy aimed at assimilation

It is the firm view of the Government, that the Swedish State shall not
pursue a policy orientated towards assimilation. The Government considers that
it is important to allow all groups in society to retain their characteristic
features and cultures. This fundamental view is also reflected in the
Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 2, where it is stated that the
possibilities of ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities to preserve and
develop a cultural and social life should be promoted.

SSF's Comment:
5-04

In reality, Swedish policies of integration are not based on economic
and social integration. In Sweden, the main objective is the linguistic
and cultural integration of minorities, including those minorities that
are not officially recognised.

The decision by the Swedish Riksdag that Sweden should recognise five
groups as national minorities and five languages as minority languages was a
historic decision for Sweden as a nation and for the minority groups and those
who use these minority languages. This decision gave these languages a special
status and was an important step in the work to counter the negative
implications of previous periods of ‘Swedishisation’ and assimilation
policy.

Integration policy and minority policy

Sweden’s integration policy is reported in the Government’s Integration
Policy Bill, Sweden, the future and diversity - from immigrant policy to
integration policy (Government Bill 1997/98:16). However, the integration
policy is not governed by law. By the Government Bill on national minorities, National
Minorities in Sweden (Government Bill, 1998/99:143), the basis has been
laid for a comprehensive minority policy. It is important to emphasise that
the national minorities are also subject to the objectives of integration
policy, as expressed in the Government Bill, Sweden, the Future and
Diversity. It is stated in this Bill that Sweden’s ethnic and cultural
diversity should, for democratic reasons, be used as a starting point for the
formulation of the general policy and implementation in all areas and levels
of society. The objectives of an integration policy are equal rights,
obligations and opportunities for everybody irrespective of ethnic and
cultural background, a social community with social diversity as a basis
together with social development that is characterised by mutual respect and
tolerance, for which everyone, irrespective of background, should participate
and be jointly responsible. The integration policy work shall be orientated
particularly towards providing support to the personal maintenance and
participation in society of individuals, and protecting fundamental democratic
values and to work for the equal rights and opportunities of men and women,
and also to prevent and counteract discrimination, xenophobia and racism.

Set against the background of the orientation and objectives of the
integration policy, the Government has decided on various measures to ensure
that an integration perspective should permeate the structure and
implementation of public policy. The Public Authority Operations Ordinance
(1995:1322) and the Ordinance on the Responsibility of National Authorities
for Immigrants and others (1986:856) have been amended with this purpose. All
national authorities now have a general responsibility to ensure that the
objectives of integration policy shall permeate all areas of society. All
authorities shall continuously take into account the ethnic and cultural
diversity of society when activities are designed and when they are conducted.

SSF's Comment:
5-05

In connection with the preliminary work for Sweden’s ratification
of the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities, a government commission was appointed and given
the task of investigating the possibilities of Sweden’s accession to
the convention. This study was combined with a study on regional
languages that was related to the Council of Europe Convention on
Minority and Regional Languages. By treating these two different
conventions as one unit, it became almost impossible for outsiders –
including the parliamentarians who were to decide on the matter in the
Swedish Riksdag – to follow the work. In the preparatory study and in
the legal text, the term "regional" was simply removed and the
issue was discussed based only on the concept of minorities. Government
authorities even went as far as to produce an official Swedish
translation of the legal text of the convention, where the term
"regional" was mistranslated as "part of the
country" in order to hide the intentions of the Council of Europe.
This was a deliberate mistake since the term "regional" exists
in Swedish in the exact same form as in English and is commonly used in
Sweden in other contexts.

Public authority structures

The National Integration Office, a central Government authority established
in 1998, has the overall responsibility to ensure that the integration policy
objectives and approach have an impact in various areas of society. An
important task for the authority is to monitor the development of society and
increase knowledge concerning the conditions and developments within various
areas of society. A report concerning this shall be submitted to the
Government annually.

The National Integration Office shall also promote equal rights and
opportunities for everyone, irrespective of ethnic and cultural background,
and also prevent and counteract racism, xenophobia and discrimination. For the
latter activity, the authority allocates support to local development projects
and also monitors and reports on successful strategies for such work. The
authority has extensive contacts with other authorities, municipalities,
organisations and other actors in its activities.

ARTICLE 6

1. The Parties shall encourage a spirit of tolerance and intercultural
dialogue and take effective measures to promote mutual respect and
understanding and co-operation among all persons living on their territory,
irrespective of those persons’ ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious
identity, in particular in the fields of education, culture and mass media.

2. The Parties undertake to take appropriate measures to protect persons
who may be subject to threats or acts of discrimination, hostility or violence
as a result of their ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious identity.

Dialogue and collaboration

Activities aimed at increasing respect and understanding between people,
irrespective of ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious association, is a
very important matter for the Swedish Government. This is indicated, among
other things, by the overall support provided to projects and voluntary
activities and Sweden’s extensive legislation in the field of discrimination.
A fundamental pre-condition for tolerance, mutual respect and understanding is
that everyone can feel that they are secure in their country and that they are
not exposed to discrimination on the basis of their ethnic background,
cultural association, religious beliefs or the like.

The Swedish State is working to promote dialogue, respect and tolerance
within all sectors of society. It is ultimately the Government that is
responsible. The Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications, under
the guidance of the Minister responsible for integration issues and policy on
national minorities, has a co-ordinating function on matters relating to the
introduction of immigrants in Sweden, discrimination issues, xenophobia and
racism, Swedish nationality, national minorities in Sweden, etc. It is not
possible to provide a complete presentation of all actors who work to promote
mutual respect and inter-cultural dialogue, but some State actors and
initiatives are presented below.

SSF's Comment:
6-01

The central Swedish authorities are characterised by a severe lack
of transparency in their actions and a reluctance to engage in
dialogue with any cultural group that does not share the official
Swedish view. For example, it is common that the authorities either do
no respond to or delay responses for years to inquiries and letters
that they receive.

The National Integration Office is a central
administrative authority with the task of working for the equal rights,
obligations and opportunities of everyone and also to counteract racism,
xenophobia and discrimination (see under Article 4, paragraph 2).

The Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination is a State authority that
has the function of working to ensure that ethnic discrimination does not
occur in working life or in other areas of social life (see under Article 4).
The Ombudsman shall take initiatives for measures against ethnic
discrimination by deliberations with authorities, companies and organisations
and also by moulding opinion, information and in other similar ways.
Furthermore, the Ombudsman shall, in contact with employers and employees’
organisations affected, promote a good relationship between ethnic groups in
working life. The Ombudsman shall also propose amendments to legislation and
other measures for the Government that are likely to counteract ethnic
discrimination.

Council for Ethnic Equality and Integration was established in its
current form in 1997. The Council comprises representatives of the Government
and of organisations that have been formed for immigrants, other
non-governmental organisations, religious communities and the parties to the
labour market. The Council has been assembled by the Minister responsible for
integration issues and comprises a forum for dialogue and exchange of
experience. The Council assembles three to four times per annum in order to
discuss current issues relating to integration.

Stockholm International Forum against Intolerance. The Prime Minister
of Sweden, Göran Persson, together with the Prime Minister of the United
Kingdom, Tony Blair, and the President of the USA, Bill Clinton, formed a
working group in 1998 to promote education, remembrance and research
concerning the Holocaust[6]. The Prime Minister of Sweden made an
invitation in 2000 for an international conference on the Holocaust and in
2001 for a conference on intolerance.

Forum for Living History is an information project that was created on
the initiative of the Government in 1997 to disseminate knowledge concerning
the Holocaust. All school pupils in Sweden received a book on the Holocaust
"… tell ye your children…". The Committee for Living
History proposed on 31 January 2001 in a report that a knowledge centre
entitled Forum for Living History should be established in 2003. The
forum shall deal with issues relating to democracy, tolerance and human rights
on the basis of the Holocaust. The forum shall have the overall objective of
reinforcing and increasing awareness about the equal value of all people.

SSF's Comment:
6-02

All the organisations mentioned in the paragraph on Dialogue and
collaboration are agencies that the government itself initiated,
created and organised. Their activities have an exclusive direction,
i.e. these organisations are intended for narrow and specific segments
of European history, while the population of Scania continues to be
deprived of any education about its own history or any general
knowledge about the thousand year old history of the region of Scania.
With respect to the Sami Parliament, it must be pointed out that apart
from being a government authority, it was created by the government in
the very year that the same central government – against popular
protests - withdrew the ancient exclusive right of the Sami people to
hunt small animals in the northern mountains

In addition to the above-mentioned activities, there are actors and
activities that directly affect the national minorities.

The Sami Parliament, which was established in 1993, is the Sami popular
elected body and a State authority. The Sami Parliament is at liberty to raise
and present proposals on those matters that the Parliament considers to be of
particular interest having regard to a living Sami culture. For further
information about the Sami Parliament, see Article 15.

The Working Group for Minority Policies is an inter-ministry working
group that co-ordinates issues within the Government Offices that affect
national minorities. The Working Group works with, among other things, the
co-ordination and measures within the framework of minority policy and in
order to ensure that the objectives of minority policy have an impact within
various fields.

Consultative meetings. Regular consultative meetings are held between
representatives of national minorities and representatives of the Government
and Government Offices. These should be a forum for dialogue and aimed at
increasing participation for national minorities.

The Roma Working Group is linked to the Ministry of Industry,
Employment and Communications and comprises representatives for Roma
organisations, the ministries affected, the National Integration Office and
the Swedish Association of Local Authorities. For more comprehensive
information concerning the Roma Working Group, see Article 15.

Various non-governmental organisations have an important role in promoting
dialogue and participation on the part of the national minorities both within
and outside Sweden. All of the national minorities have established
organisations with which the Government communicates in issues regarding the
policy on national minorities. In May 2001, the largest minority group, the
Swedish Finns, set up a new body, the Delegation of the Swedish Finns. The
prime task for the Delegation is to safeguard the interests of the Swedish
Finnish minority in Sweden and act as a representative body for the Swedish
Finns in dealings with the Government and public authorities in issues
regarding the policy on national minorities.

SSF's Comment:
6-03

Sweden has a long history of oppression of conquered and colonised
areas where Swedification and uniformity constituted the principal
policy. Several regions in Sweden with Norwegian, Danish, Gothnian,
Finnish and Sami backgrounds have been the objects of this policy. The
regional background pattern is never mentioned. This obscuring of
historical facts means that the historic oppression of regional cultural
groups is still continuing in Sweden.

The following organisations represent the national minorities in dealings
with the Government:

Judiska centralförbundet (Official Council of
Jewish Communities in Sweden)

Special reference may be made to EBLUL (the European Bureau for Lesser Used
Languages), which is an independent organisation that works to promote and
protect lesser-used languages within Europe. The organisation is mainly
financed with EU funding. EBLUL is represented in Sweden by the association
the Swedish Bureau for Lesser Used Languages, SWEBLUL. SWEBLUL is composed of
the five above-mentioned organisations, each representing a national
minorities group in Sweden.

The Media Sector

The mass media in Sweden has in recent times, in various connections, taken
special initiatives to examine anti-democratic movements. Attention has also
been given to discrimination in the activities of authorities, municipalities
or businesses, and also the impact of xenophobia at the local level. Sweden’s
largest nation-wide media jointly implemented in 1999 a campaign against
xenophobia and racism.

SSF's Comment:
6-04

In spite of Scanian cultural efforts during the entire 20th
century to highlight Scanian culture, there has not been a single
event where representatives of Scania were able to discuss Scanian
issues freely on Swedish radio and TV. All requests from Scanian
cultural organisations in this matter have been ignored.

Since 1998, the information project Quick Response, which was initiated by
the Red Cross Youth Federation, has been conducted and aims to modulate the
debate on issues concerning immigration, racism and xenophobia by furnishing
the mass media, people who influence public opinion and organisations with
facts and background information when incorrect information is disseminated.
Quick Response also works with providing information to journalists, students
and other individuals.

According to central press ethical rules, the race, sex, nationality,
occupation, political affiliation, religious beliefs or sexual disposition of
the person affected shall not be revealed if it is of no relevance in the
context and is disrespectful.

Protection against discriminatory acts, hostility and violence

Legislation

Effective legislation is of central importance as regards resolving
discrimination and ethnically related violence. The Penal Code contains
several penal provisions that are aimed directly or indirectly at acts or
expressions that are racist or discriminatory in some other way. In view of
the seriousness and importance of the question, Sweden has chosen to provide a
comprehensive report on Swedish legislation in the field, see Appendix 3.

Within the field of working life, there is special private law legislation
against ethnic discrimination (see under Article 4).

Offences reported to the police

The Swedish Security Service (SÄPO) collect statistics concerning offences
reported to the police that, among other things, involve racist, anti-Semitic
and homophobic elements. The statistics are presented annually in an official
report (Criminality linked to the inner security of Sweden, 1999).
These statistics show that offences reported to the police involving
xenophobic, racist, anti-Semitic or homophobic elements increased greatly
between 1997 and 1999. During 1999, a total of 2,363 offences with racist or
xenophobic elements were reported. In 1997 this figure was 1,752. Those
offences that were reported most were unlawful threat, assault, molestation,
insulting behaviour and agitation against an ethnic group.

It is also indicated by this publication that 210 cases of unlawful
discrimination were reported during 1999. Of all these cases, 102 (approximately
49 per cent) related to discrimination in conjunction with restaurant and bar
visits. Other reports were directed towards, among other things, shops,
housing and property companies and public authorities.

The offence agitation against an ethnic group is one of the offences that
reduced in number during 1999 compared with 1998, i.e. 249 compared with 257
reports. However, the level is still high compared with 1997, when 166 cases
of agitation against an ethnic group were registered. There are various
explanations for the reduction in the number of reported cases during 1999
compared with 1998. According to SÄPO, the great increase in 1998 is
partially explained by a number of individual events, for example, concerts
and demonstrations, resulting in a large number of reports of offences.
Further explanations may be that the police and prosecutors give priority to
this kind of criminality and that practice has become clearer on matters
concerning punishability and culpability. Agitation against an ethnic group
was the most common offence reported involving anti-Semitic elements in 1999.
In total, 32 such offences were reported.

Discrimination in and outside working life

An indicator of the occurrence of ethnic discrimination outside working
life is the contacts that individuals have made with the Ombudsman against
Ethnic Discrimination (DO). During 1999, 307 reports were made to the DO.
These reports primarily relate to the housing sector, education system, the
judicial service and social welfare services. The number of reports to the DO
on discrimination in working life has increased greatly during recent years.
The number of reports was 121 in 1998 and 184 in 1999. Compared with 1997, the
number of reports has tripled. The majority of reports are from job-seekers
and relate to discrimination in conjunction with employment.

Discrimination amongst Sami

On the assignment of the Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination, a study
was conducted concerning experiences of ethnic discrimination among a
selection of Sami who were included in the Sami Parliament’s electoral
register (CEIFO, 1998). It was indicated by the results of the study that
almost 75 per cent of those who answered considered that Sweden is a society
that is hostile to the Sami. Every third person said they had been exposed to
deprecating comments and every fifth harassed at her/his workplace owing to
her/his Sami origin. Sami living in Norrland felt that the problem was
greatest. Young Sami people reported more experiences of harassment than
elderly people.

The Government plan of action against racism, xenophobia etc., and for
human rights.

During 2001, the Swedish Government will table two important programmes to
promote respect and counteract discrimination; a national plan of action
against racism, xenophobia, homophobia and discrimination and a plan of action
for human rights.

In the written communication, A National Plan of Action against Racism,
Xenophobia, Homophobia and Discrimination (2000/2001:59), the Government
reports on measures that have been implemented in the field to date together
with a national plan of action against racism, xenophobia, homophobia and
discrimination. The plan of action shall be viewed as a step in a permanent
and continuous process and contains concrete initiatives to combat racism and
xenophobia. Such an initiative is that the Government will initiate a
long-term strategic work to prevent and counteract discrimination against
Roma. The Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination will be given a special
assignment to counteract and prevent discrimination against Roma and also be
given resources to work with the issue over a two-year period.

The plan of action for human rights will be presented during the autumn of
2001. The plan will contain concrete measures to promote the guard for human
rights in Sweden. It will view human rights in its entirety and bring up
economic, social, and cultural as well as civic and political rights.

ARTICLE 7

The Parties shall ensure respect for the right of every person belonging to
a national minority to freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of association,
freedom of expression, and freedom of ideas, conscience and religion.

Chapter 2 of the Instrument of Government contains rules concerning
fundamental freedoms and rights. According to Chapter 2, Article 1 of the
Instrument of Government, every Swedish national is entitled, in relation to
the community, to be guaranteed freedom of assembly, freedom of demonstration
and freedom of association. Freedom of assembly relates to the freedom to
arrange and attend any meeting for the purpose of information or expression of
opinions or for any other similar purpose or for the purpose of presenting
artistic work. The freedom of demonstration relates to the freedom to arrange
and to participate in demonstrations in public places in any demonstration on
public grounds. The freedom of association relates to the freedom to unite
with others for public or private purposes.

SSF's Comment:7-01

Scanians do not have access to any forum where their cultural
identity and nationality could be publicly discussed and debated, never
mind recognised. Those of us who raise such questions are either met by
complete silence or are attacked in the press and other mass media. The
Scanian cultural organisations that work with Scanian issues exist under
very oppressive conditions.

Through the establishment of the Region of Scania in December of
1999, cultural issues have become more openly discussed. However, it is
to be noted that the regional self-government is very limited. The
Swedish government alone determines the allocation of cultural funds –
this is in contravention of the Council of Europe’s Draft European
Charter of Regional Self-Government. We must also emphasise that Scanian
cultural policies in the agencies of the regional administration (Region
of Scania) are hampered by the centralist Swedish political party
structure.

The self-government of the Region of Scania is now on its way to
being reduced as the Swedish government is preparing to withdraw
self-governing functions in important areas such as language, culture,
regional development and transportation.

These freedoms may, in accordance with Chapter 2, Article 12 of the
Instrument of Government, be restricted by statute. However, a restriction may
only be made to achieve purposes that are acceptable in a democratic society
and may not go beyond that necessary having regard to the purpose that gave
rise to the measure. Nor may the restriction go so far that it constitutes a
threat to the free formation of opinions and may not be made on the basis of
political, religious, cultural or other such ideas. The freedom of assembly
and freedom of demonstration may, in accordance with Chapter 2, Article 14 of
the Instrument of Government, be restricted only on account of the security of
the Realm, of public order and security at the meeting or the demonstration,
or of the traffic, or for the purpose of counteracting an epidemic.

The right of association may only be limited as regards such associations
the activities of which are of a military or similar nature or which involve
the persecution of a national group of a particular race, of a particular skin
colour, or of a particular ethnic origin.

A provision concerning freedom to participate in assemblies and the right
of association is also contained in Article 11 of the European Convention,
which applies as law in Sweden.

Unless otherwise prescribed by law, foreign nationals are equated with
Swedish nationals as regards the freedom of assembly, the freedom of
demonstration and the freedom of association in accordance with Chapter 2,
Article 22, second paragraph, item 1 of the Instrument of Government.

Freedom of ideas, freedom of conscience and freedom of religion are
described under Article 8 and freedom of expression under Article 9.

ARTICLE 8

The Parties undertake to recognise that every person belonging to a
national minority has the right to manifest his or her religion or belief and
to establish religious institutions, organisations and associations.

Freedom of religion

Freedom of religion is one of fundamental freedoms and rights that are
subject to the catalogue of rights contained in Chapter 2 of the Instrument of
Government. This is expressed in Chapter 2, Article 1, item 6 of the
Instrument of Government whereby each individual is entitled to, alone or
together with others, practice her/his religion.

According to Chapter 2, Article 2, each individual is also protected
against compulsion to make known her/his opinion on political, religious,
cultural or other such matters and also, in relation to the community, against
compulsion to participate in any meeting for the purpose of the formation of
opinions or in any demonstration or other expression of opinions or to belong
to a political association, a religious community or any other association for
such opinions. Furthermore, according to Chapter 2, Article 3, of the
Instrument of Government, no recording regarding a citizen in a public
register may without his consent be founded on his political opinion.

The freedom of religion and the freedoms and rights contained in Chapter 2,
Sections 2 and 3 of the Instrument of Government may not be limited in so far
as they apply to Swedish nationals. However, they may be limited for foreign
nationals, except as regards the protection against compulsion to belong to a
religious community (Chapter 2, Article 22 of the Instrument of Government).

A provision concerning freedom of religion is also contained in Article 9
of the European Convention, which applies as law in Sweden.

Support for religious communities

State support for religious communities is provided in the form of first
assistance with charges, and second State grants. The objectives of the
support is to contribute towards the creation of the pre-conditions for the
religious community to conduct an active and long-term orientated religious
activity in the form of services for worship, pastoral care, education and
care.

According to Section 16 of the Religious Communities Act (1998:1593), the
Church of Sweden is entitled to assistance with charges, i.e. assistance by
the State with the determination, debiting and reporting of charges from those
who belong to the Swedish Church and also with collecting the charges. Such
assistance, which means that the charges are collected via the tax collection
system, may also be granted to other registered religious communities.
Decisions concerning this are made by the Government subject to the
pre-condition that the religious community contributes to maintaining and
reinforcing the fundamental values that society is founded upon and that it is
stable and is itself a movement with vitality. The Government may, subject to
the same pre-conditions, decide that a religious community shall be entitled
to a State grant. The State grants, which are allocated by the Co-operation
Board for State Grants to Religious Communities, may be paid in the form of an
organisation grant, an activity grant or project grant.

Besides the Church of Sweden there are, at present, seven religious
communities that have been granted charges assistance (see Appendix 4). The
religious communities and collaborating organs that are entitled to State
grant (currently 21) are specified in Section 3 of the State Grants to
Religious Communities Ordinance (1999:974).

Other payments

As of and including 2002, the Church of Sweden is entitled to a special
State payment justified expenses for culture history connected with the care
and preservation of the Church cultural heritage (Church antiquarian
compensation). The Church antiquarian compensation is not a support to the
Church of Sweden as a religious community but compensation for additional
expenses in conjunction with the administration of, among other things, church
buildings and church inventories.

Besides the above-mentioned efforts, which are directly aimed at religious
communities, there are opportunities for religious communities, and similarly
for other legal subjects - to apply for State grants, for example, in relation
to special projects and aims (from the Government and various public
authorities).

ARTICLE 9

1. The Parties undertake to recognise that the right to freedom of
expression of every person belonging to a national minority includes freedom
to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas in the
minority language, without interference by public authorities and regardless
of frontiers. The Parties shall ensure, within the framework of their legal
systems, that persons belonging to a national minority are not discriminated
against in their access to the media.

2. Paragraph 1 shall not prevent Parties from requiring the licensing,
without discrimination and based on objective criteria, of sound radio and
television broadcasting, or cinema enterprises.

3. The Parties shall not hinder the creation and the use of printed
media by persons belonging to national minorities. In the legal framework of
sound radio and television broadcasting, they shall ensure, as far as possible,
and taking into account the provisions of paragraph 1, that persons belonging
to national minorities are granted the possibility of creating and using their
own media.

4. In the framework of their legal systems, the Parties shall adopt
adequate measures in order to facilitate access to the media for persons
belonging to national minorities and in order to promote tolerance and permit
cultural pluralism.

Freedom of expression, freedom of ideas and freedom of conscience

Every Swedish national is, according to Chapter 2, Article 1 of the
Instrument of Government, in relation to the community, guaranteed freedom of
expression, i.e. freedom to, in speech, written form or pictorial
representations or in another way, communicate information and also express
ideas, opinions and feelings, and the freedom of information, that is to say
the freedom to obtain and receive information and also otherwise to acquaint
oneself with the statements of others. These freedoms may be restricted by
statute, but the restriction may only be made in order to satisfy purposes
that are acceptable in a democratic society.

SSF's Comment:9-01

During the last 100 years, there are a number of examples of
prominent Scanian cultural personalities who were shunned by the
official Swedish establishment because of their Scanian attitudes.
Even today, it is almost impossible to stand up in defence of that
which is Scanian without being accused of chauvinism, provincialism,
racism and separatism. This has caused Scanians to exercise pronounced
self-censure of their Scanian identity in public discourse, also in
their own region.

Unless otherwise prescribed by statute, foreign nationals are equated with
Swedish nationals as regards freedom of assembly, freedom of demonstration and
freedom of association in accordance with Chapter 2, Article 22, second
paragraph, item 1 of the Instrument of Government.

Articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention also contain provisions
concerning freedom of ideas, freedom of conscience and freedom of expression,
which apply as law in Sweden.

Access to mass media

There is nothing, either in Swedish law or practice that impedes national
minorities from presenting or using any forms of mass media. No distinction is
made between people in the fundamental laws on freedom of the press, or
freedom of expression. Every individual is at liberty to start and operate
media undertakings and similarly to use or not use media. In addition to this,
the Swedish State has considered that it is important to implement appropriate
measures to facilitate entry and access to mass media for people who belong to
national minorities.

SSF's Comment:9-02

At this time, it is practically impossible to bring about any debate on
Scanian issues in the majority of Sweden’s large newspapers, as well as
on radio and TV. Announcers and journalists working in radio and TV are
recruited and controlled to a high degree from Stockholm, even with
regards to the brief, regional daily news broadcasts.

It is stated in the broadcasting licences for the public service
undertakings, Swedish Television, Swedish Radio and Swedish Education Radio,
that the undertakings are obligated to take into account the needs of
linguistic and ethnic minorities. Sami, Finnish and Meänkieli shall have a
particular position in programme activities. The Government has proposed by
the Bill, Radio and TV in the Service of the Public 2002-2005
(2000/2001:94), which relates to the next licence period commencing in 2002,
that Romani Chib shall be given the same status in programme activities as is
today given to Sami, Finnish and Meänkieli. Furthermore, it is proposed that
programme undertakings should take into account the fact Yiddish also has the
status of a minority language in Sweden.

Media and minority languages

Radio and television broadcasts in minority languages

Swedish Television (SVT) broadcasts news, current affairs programmes,
children’s programmes and documentary films in Finnish. In the daily news
broadcast Uutiset, the relationship of Sweden and other countries is
dealt with from a Swedish-Finnish perspective. During 2000, SVT broadcast 107
hours for the Swedish-Finnish minority. Nationally broadcast programme
activities for the Sami population amounted in 2000 to 17 hours and comprised,
among other things, the news magazine Àrran and the children’s
programme Úlda. During 1999, SVT started to broadcast programmes in
Meänkieli. During 2000, three nationally broadcast programmes, subtitled in
Swedish, were broadcast. The programmes dealt with the specific features of
living in Tornedalen and were produced by Tornedalers.

Swedish Radio broadcasts on P 7 Finnish programmes both in Finnish
and Meänkieli and 4,487 hours were broadcast in Finnish, Meänkieli during
1999. Swedish Radio produces and broadcasts programmes for the Sami population
through Sámi Radio. In 1999, 204 hours were broadcast in Sami.

Film production in minority languages

The Swedish Film Institute has, during the 1990s, established three
regional film production centres. Filmpool Nord is the regional resource
centre for film and video for the County of Norrbotten. Its work comprises the
minority languages Sami and Meänkieli by collaboration with parties at
regional and local level. To date, short and documentary films concerning the
Sami population have been jointly produced. Film production in Meänkieli is
being developed.

The municipality of Kiruna has initiated an investigation in anticipation
of the establishment of a resource centre for Sami and Tornedal film. The
investigation will examine the way in which film culture and film production
promotes development for the minority languages Sami, Finnish and Meänkieli,
which by virtue of the Acts 1999:1175 and 1176 have a special status in
certain municipalities in the County of Norrbotten.

Newspapers in the minority languages

For the development and preservation of language, it is important that
newspapers in the respective language are given sufficient support. As regards
the terms of State press support, there are certain special rules for
financial support to daily newspapers that are directed towards linguistic
minorities. When allocating State support to cultural periodicals, national
minorities shall be particularly taken into account.

ARTICLE 10

1. Parties undertake to recognise that every person belonging to a
national minority has the right to use freely and without interference his or
her minority language, in private and in public, orally and in writing.

2. In areas inhabited by persons belonging to national minorities
traditionally or in substantial numbers, if those persons so request and where
such a request corresponds to a real need, the Parties shall endeavour to
ensure, as far as possible the conditions which would make it possible to use
the minority language in relations between those persons and the
administrative authorities.

3. The Parties undertake to guarantee the right of every person
belonging to a national minority to be informed promptly, in a language which
he or she understands, of the reasons for his or her arrest, and of the nature
and cause of any accusation against him or her, and to defend himself or
herself in this language, if necessary with the free assistance of an
interpreter.

Right to use minority languages

There are no statutory provisions impeding national minorities from using
their language. The historic regional and minority languages are a valuable
part of the cultural heritage of Sweden and Europe. Language is an important
part of the identity and feeling of group belonging of people. It also
functions to a large extent as a bearer of culture. It is therefore important
to protect the right to be able to use one’s language. A number of measures
have been implemented in Sweden to support the regional and minority languages.

SSF's Comment:
10-01

Regional languages are not only not accepted by the Swedish
establishment, they are intensively opposed. The fact that there are
no legal obstacles in Swedish law is irrelevant when these languages
are neither recognised by the state authorities nor used in official
or mass media contexts. Nor is the historical Scanian language
accepted in our schools.

The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

Sweden ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages on
9 February 2000 and stated in that connection that Sami, Finnish and
Meänkieli are regional or minority languages and that Romani Chib and Yiddish
shall be deemed to be non-territorial minority languages when applying the
Charter[7].

In conjunction with Sweden ratifying the European Charter for Regional or
Minority Languages, two new Acts were passed which provided the individual
with a right to use Sami, Finnish or Meänkieli in contacts with
administrative authorities and courts (Act 1999:1175, on the right to use Sami
at administrative authorities and courts of law, and Act 1999: 1176 on the
right to use Finnish and Meänkieli at administrative authorities and courts
of law).

Administrative authorities and courts

The Acts apply at municipal and State regional and local administrative
authorities with a geographical area of operation that completely or partially
covers the geographical areas (administrative areas) where the languages are
used traditionally and are still used to a sufficient extent. As regards Sami,
this covers the municipalities of Arjeplog, Gällivare, Jokkmokk and Kiruna,
and as regards Finnish and Meänkieli, the municipalities of Gällivare,
Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala and Övertorneå.

The Acts mean that the individual, irrespective of whether he or she speaks
Swedish, is entitled to speak Sami, Finnish or Meänkieli at oral hearings
before courts. The individual is also entitled to submit written pleadings in
these languages and is entitled to have documents orally translated into Sami,
Finnish or Meänkieli. In connection with contacts with administrative
authorities, the individual is entitled to use her or his minority language in
matters that relate to the exercise of official power in relation to her or
him. The authority shall provide verbal answers in Sami, Finnish and
Meänkieli and also generally endeavour to deal with the individual in the
respective language.

Pre-school activities and care of the elderly

Pre-school activities in one’s own language are very important, as the
learning of language by children is most intensive during the years preceding
the start of school. It is also important within the care of the elderly
services that individuals can receive nursing by staff who speak their own
language. It occurs that older people, in connection with illness, loose
skills in languages that they have learnt after childhood, but retain
knowledge in their mother tongue.

By the two above-mentioned Acts, requirements are imposed on the
municipalities in the administrative areas for Sami and areas for Finnish and
Meänkieli respectively to provide parents with an opportunity of placing
their children in pre-school activities where the whole or parts of the
activity are conducted in these languages. The municipalities within the
respective administrative areas shall also offer care of the elderly services
where the whole or parts of the activity are conducted in Sami, Finnish or
Meänkieli.

Interpreters

It is general principle of Swedish law that trials shall be held in
Swedish. As regards the administrative authorities and courts that are not
subject to the two laws on the right to use Sami and use Finnish and Meänkili
at administrative authorities and courts, there is no absolute right to have
an interpreter. However, Chapter 33, Section 9 of the Code of Judicial
Procedure contains a provision that the court may if necessary have documents
that are received or issued by the court translated. This provisions means
that a pleading in another language than Swedish shall be translated to
Swedish if it may be assumed to be of importance for the case. It is stated in
Chapter 5, Section 6 that an interpreter may be engaged if a person who is to
be questioned at court does not speak Swedish. The assessment of whether an
interpreter is needed is made by the court. A provision with the corresponding
content, covering both written translation and oral interpretation, is
contained in the Administrative Judicial Procedure Act (1971:29). Section 8 of
the Administrative Procedure Act (896:223) prescribes that administrative
authorities should, whenever necessary, engage interpreters in connection with
contacts with persons who do not speak Swedish. This applies to both written
and oral processing.

It is indicated by the explanatory report of the Council of Europe that the
measures contained in Article 10, paragraph 3, are based on parts of the
Articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and provide
persons suspected of having committed an offence associated with national
minorities with the right to communicate in a language that he or she
understands in connection with contacts with the police or courts. Sweden has
ratified and incorporated the European Convention in Swedish law and satisfies
the requirements contained in Article 10, paragraph 3.

A considerable number of Sweden’s national minorities are bilingual.
There are also people who have lost their minority language. Others, for
example relatively recently arrived Roma from the former Yugoslavia, have
learnt Swedish during the 1990s. Moreover, there may be individual persons,
particularly older persons, who have inadequate knowledge in Swedish.

Other

The Government has in the Bill, National Minorities in Sweden
(1998/99:143), declared that enactments that have a particular effect on the
national minorities rights should be translated into minority languages. For
examples of texts that have been translated into minority languages, see
Appendix 5.

ARTICLE 11

1. The Parties undertake to recognise that every person belonging to a
national minority has the right to use his or her surname (patronym) and first
names in the minority language and the right to official recognition of them,
according to modalities provided for in their legal system.

2. The Parties undertake to recognise that every person belonging to a
national minority has the right to display in his or her minority language
signs, inscriptions and other information of a private nature visible to the
public.

3. In areas traditionally inhabited by substantial numbers of persons
belonging to a national minority, the Parties shall endeavour, in the
framework of their legal system, including, where appropriate, agreements with
other States, and taking into account their specific conditions, to display
traditional local names, street names and other topographical indications
intended for the public also in the minority language when there is a
sufficient demand for such indications.

The Names Act

There is nothing contained in Swedish legislation impeding individuals from
retaining their first name or surname.

The Names Act (1982:670) contains provisions on how surnames may be
acquired. Section 12, item 1, states that a newly formed surname must have a
pronunciation and spelling and such linguistic form that it is appropriate as
a surname in Sweden. The Swedish Patent and Registration Office, which is the
executive agency, deals with applications for alterations to names and changes
of name. When conducting such an assessment of suitability, Sami and Finnish
linguistic usage is considered to comprise part of the national linguistic
usage. However, practice developed through decisions made by the Patent
Appeals Court afford immigrants and other national minorities an opportunity
to amend or revert to their former name forms and the requirement concerning
pronunciation and spelling according to the Swedish model has been cast off.
Matters are considered on a case-to-case basis. For example, it may be
mentioned that Assyrians/Syrians have been granted permission to adopt
Assyrian/Syrian family names of which they were deprived in Turkey around the
year 1917.

SSF's Comment:11-01

The name of the regional and historical cultural unit of
Scania/Skåneland is not recognised in Sweden. Instead, the historically
incorrect term "Southern Götaland" was introduced in order to
hide Sweden’s expansionist past. Götaland is the name of a region
located north of Scania that had nothing to do with the region of
Scania/Skåneland. In spite of protests, the Swedish government does not
show any signs whatsoever of correcting this incorrect name for the
region of Scania. For geopolitical reasons, it prefers to persist with
the false name given to the area.

Individuals, who wish to spell their names in the historical Scanian
manner, are denied permission by Swedish authorities. There are examples
of individuals who wished to change the ending of their surname from
"-son" to the Scanian "-sön" and were refused by
Swedish authorities with the motivation "that it contravenes
Swedish naming traditions". In the same way, the changing of place
names to their original Scanian spelling (the most recent example is the
city of Kristianstad that applied to return to the old spelling of
Christianstad) have been denied and is also discouraged through
self-censorship in the public and political establishment.

District names

The Riksdag has decided (Government Bill 1984/85:100) that greater regard
must be taken to the Sami and Finnish minorities in northern Sweden when
determining names on maps and in conjunction with signposting of roads, etc.
When names of places in multi-lingual areas are determined, they shall be
given in those languages that are spoken in the area. The way of writing used
by the minority should also be used.

The National Land Survey maps also state names of places in Sami and
Finnish. The National Road Administration commenced work in 1995 with
gradually supplementing place name signs in Norrbotten and Västerbotten with
the Sami and Finnish names.

ARTICLE 12

1. The Parties shall, where appropriate, take measures in the fields
of education and research to foster knowledge of the culture, history,
language and religion of their national minorities and of the majority.

2. In this context the Parties shall inter alia provide
adequate opportunities for teacher training and access to textbooks, and
facilitate contacts among students and teachers of different communities.

3. The Parties undertake to promote equal opportunities for access to
education at all levels for persons belonging to national minorities.

Paragraph1

Promote knowledge concerning national minorities

Compulsory school

The Government considers that it is important that all children in Sweden,
whether they belong to a minority or majority, already learn in school about
the history of the national minorities in Sweden and their culture, language
and religion, and also their part in society. In order that all pupils in the
Swedish school, from children to adult students, should learn about the
national minorities, the school curricula (Lpo 94 and Lpf 94) have been
amended so that it is indicated that knowledge shall be provided about the
national minorities and minority languages. Also, when reviewing the course
syllabi of the schools, the national minorities and minority languages have
been given attention. Extracts from the education curricula and course syllabi
are contained in Appendix 6.

Upper Secondary school

The National Agency for Education offers information about the national
minorities on the Agency’s web-site and has in conjunction with the national
minorities produced inspirational material primarily aimed at upper secondary
school pupils. The material is also available in printed form.

Higher education and research

In the Government Bill on Research Policy (Government Bill 2000/2001:3),
the Government laid down that it is important that university education and
research in minority languages and concerning national minorities continues
and can be developed. The Government has also taken up the issue of so-called
minor subjects and assigned the Council for Scientific Affairs the national
responsibility for achieving a holistic view as regards resources for such
subjects.

Finnish-Swedish Education Council

The Finnish-Swedish Education Council works, in line with the aims of
Article 12, paragraph 1, to promote knowledge concerning national minorities.
Its task is to promote in Sweden the educational situation for the
Swedish-Finnish minority and work to ensure increased knowledge and
understanding of our joint Finnish-Swedish history and our common cultural
heritage.

SSF's Comment:12-01

In spite of many years of efforts by Scanians and Scanian
organisations, the teaching of Scanian history has still not been
introduced in Scanian schools. The Scanian population lacks knowledge
about its own historical and cultural background. Teachers are not
given time to teach Scanian history and language and there is a
complete lack of course literature. The Scanian people is a European
people with no history.

Paragraph2

Teacher training

The Technical University of Luleå has the special assignment of offering
compulsory school teacher training in Sami, Finnish and Meänkieli.

The Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100) examination provides scope for
the universities to teach teacher training students about minority languages
and about national minorities. Furthermore, the provisions of the examination
rules ensure that graduate teachers have the knowledge necessary to realise
the goals of education in accordance with the curricula decided by the
Government. It is indicated by the curricula (Lpo 94 and Lpf 94) that
knowledge shall be provided about the national minorities and minority
languages.

Teaching aids

In order to produce teaching material and dictionaries in languages where
the existing material is inadequate, the National Agency for Education is
conducting a several-year project. Romani Chib is one of the languages that is
covered by the project. Among other things, the rapid production of a
dictionary in Swedish and various forms of Romani Chib (Arli and Swedish
Romani) is the so-called Lexin Project.

Paragraph3

Access to higher education

In order to promote equal opportunities for access to education, the
Government is working purposefully towards counteracting distorted recruitment
to universities. In May, the Diversity Commission reported its proposal Diversity
in Universities. Reflections and proposals on social and ethnic diversity in
universities (Official Government Report SOU 2000:47). The Government
intends to submit during 2001 a Bill which, among other things, deals with
measures to broaden the recruitment base for universities and also counteract
ethnic and social distorted recruitment.

Adult education

Sweden has a long tradition of adult education and, by purposeful efforts
by the Government for a generous study system, people have good opportunities
of having a second chance with their studies. The folk high schools
(independent adult education colleges) and study associations are important
actors for the dissemination of knowledge. The Swedish National Council for
Popular Adult Education has been given the assignment by the Government of
reporting on the range of courses existing within popular adult education for
national minorities and the extent to which these minority groups participate
in these activities.[8] Sami, Swedish Finns, Tornedalers and Roma
are offered all teaching directed towards their own group at least one folk
high school. The Sami have a broad range of courses and education within the
Sami Education Centre. The National Association of Finns in Sweden is the
formal manager of the Swedish Finnish Folk High School and is also closely
affiliated with two other folk high schools and the Swedish Tornedalian
Association has close collaboration with the Tornedal Folk High School. Roma
are offered specially orientated courses at a number of folk high schools. All
five minority groups are offered short courses under the auspices of the study
association which are orientated towards the minority group. In the report of
the National Council it is stated that minority groups who have access to
their own folk high schools or which are member organisations of study
associations, appear to have a significantly greater prospects of satisfying
their educational needs than those groups who are not permanently co-operating
with any folk high school or study association.

ARTICLE 13

1. Within the framework of their education systems, the Parties shall
recognise that persons belonging to a national minority have the right to set
up and to manage their own private educational and training establishments.

2. The exercise of this right shall not entail any financial obligation
for the Parties.

Independent schools

According to Chapter 9 of the Education Act (1985:1100), compulsory school
attendance obligations may be satisfied in independent schools provided the
school is approved by the National Agency for Education. The home municipality
of pupils is normally liable to provide a contribution to approved independent
compulsory schools. There are a number of independent schools with minority
ethnic orientation, among other things, eight Swedish-Finnish schools, one
Jewish and one Tornedalian school.

The National Agency for Education is entitled to grant a federation or
other association the right to offer a school education if it satisfies
certain specified requirements. Financial support is given in the form of a
so-called education grant.

For pupils of Sami origin, there are State financed Sami schools where
education is conducted from year course 1 to 6. See under Article 14.

ARTICLE 14

1. The Parties undertake to recognise that every person belonging to a
national minority has the right to learn his or her minority language.

2. In areas inhabited by persons belonging to national minorities
traditionally or in substantial numbers, if there is sufficient demand, the
Parties shall endeavour to ensure as far as possible and within the framework
of their education systems, that persons belonging to those minorities have
adequate opportunities for being taught the minority language or for receiving
instruction in this language.

3. Paragraph 2 of this article shall be implemented without prejudice to
the learning of the official language or the teaching in this language.

Education in mother tongue

Education in mother tongue and bilingual education is of great importance
as regards supporting and reinforcing minority languages. The rules[9]
concerning the right to mother-tongue education apply throughout Sweden and
for all other languages than Swedish. Mother-tongue education is an optional
subject for pupils, but the municipalities are obligated to arrange such
education if there are at least five pupils in the municipality who wish to
have education in the same language. There are special rules on mother-tongue
education relating to children belonging to the Sami, Tornedal-Finnish or Roma
minorities. They are entitled to tuition even if the number of pupils is less
than five or if the language is not the language in daily use. The
municipality is not obligated to arrange teaching if there are no suitable
teachers available. In broad terms, the same rules also apply for the upper
secondary school.

SSF's Comment:18-01

The linguistically most competent organisation in Scania – The
Scanian Academy – has demanded recognition for the historical
Scanian language. This demand has been completely ignored by the
Swedish government. The Scanian Academy has received no reply to any
letters sent to Swedish authorities regarding this matter.

Roma pupils with foreign backgrounds are the only group entitled to
mother-tongue education in two languages, if they need it; for example a pupil
with Finnish-Roma background will obtain mother-tongue language tuition in
Finnish and so-called Finnish Romani. The Roma Working Group at the Ministry
of Industry, Employment and Communications concluded in 1997 that few pupils
participate in education in Romani Chib. It has been difficult to employ
teachers with Roma as a mother tongue, as there is not formal training for
mother-tongue teachers in Romani Chib. The National Education Agency states
that work with the planning of efforts for training of staff for the Roma
minority has commenced.

There is not mother-tongue education in Yiddish within the framework of the
schools.[10] The National Agency for Education, which has concluded
that knowledge of Yiddish in Swedish society is limited, is collaborating with
the Jewish Central Council concerning inspirational material concerning the
national minorities intended for upper secondary school pupils and intend to
publish an article about Yiddish on the National Agency for Education’s
website.

The National Agency for Education shall, within the framework of its
supervision function, monitor in particular the development of mother-tongue
education and bilingual education for the national minorities. The National
Agency for Education has recently, in a report to the Government, described
the development of mother-tongue education and bilingual education regarding
the national minority languages. It is indicated by the report, Education
in and on the national minority languages - survey of the situation (2001:3438),
that development of education is in progress for all national minorities, both
in municipal schools and pre-schools, Sami schools, at independent schools and
within local authority administered adult education. The report also indicates
that the conditions for the five national minorities, for historical and
geographical reasons, are very different. On the basis of its survey, the
National Agency for Education proposed to the Government, among other things,
that the scope of the Sami schools’ teaching responsibility should be
extended to also comprise mother-tongue education in Sami in basic and upper
secondary schools and that it should also be possible to use funds controlled
by the National Agency for Education for support to development of Finnish
language education for Meänkieli. Furthermore, the National Agency for
Education proposes that the minimum requirement of five pupils in order that a
municipality should need to provide mother-tongue education should be removed
for Finnish and Yiddish, so that the rules are the same for all minority
groups. The proposals are currently being worked on in within the Government
Offices.

Pre-school activities in mother tongue

As indicated by Article 10, parents who live in the administrative areas
for Sami, and Finnish and Meänkieli, respectively, are afforded an
opportunity to place their children in pre-school activities where the entire
or part of the activity is conducted in these languages.

Sami school

According to Chapter 8 of the Education Act (1985:1100), the children of
Sami may fulfil their six first year courses within the national school form
Sami school. Education is provided in Sami and Swedish. Special provisions for
the Sami school are contained in the Sami Education Ordinance (1995:205).
According to the curriculum Lpo 94, the Sami school shall, in addition to the
objectives of the compulsory school, be responsible for ensuring that every
pupil after completing the Sami school is familiar with the Sami cultural
heritage and can also speak, read and write Sami. There are Sami schools in
Karesuando, Lannavara, Gällivare, Jokkmokk, Tärnaby and Kiruna.

According to Chapter 8 of the Sami Education Ordinance, a municipality may
arrange Sami education - Sami integrated education - for Sami pupils at its
compulsory school.

ARTICLE 15

The parties shall create the conditions necessary for the effective
participation of persons belonging to national minorities in cultural, social
and economic life and in public affairs, in particular those affecting them.

Participation in public life

Influence and participation for national minorities is of great importance
within the minority policy. Special measures have been implemented to support
the opportunities of minorities to have influence. Among other things, regular
consultative meetings are held with the representatives of the Government and
the minorities’ organisations. Special funds have been allocated to
organisations that represent national minorities in order to increase their
opportunities for influence on matters concerning them.

SSF's Comment:15-01

With respect to regional cultural groups, the Swedish government
has no minority or cultural policies at all. The regional cultural
patterns – with their origin in Swedish historical military and
colonial expansion policies – are not acknowledged.

One possibility for the national minorities to be included and influence
matters that affect them is to take part as a consultative body. The system of
committees and consultancy procedures comprise a characteristic and important
element of the Swedish political decision-making process. Through this system,
interested organisations gain an insight in and are invited to present their
standpoints on political decision-making processes. The national minorities’
national organisations are consultative bodies and included in decision-making
processes that affect them, for example, in the preparation of Government
bills for the Riksdag[11]. The principle that Government matters
should undergo the consultative procedure has been laid down by Chapter 7,
Article 2 of the Instrument of Government.

One objective is that representatives of the national minorities should, to
the greatest extent possible, be included in studies, evaluation and
decision-making processes that have consequences for them. As examples of
participation mention may be made of the working groups within the County
Administrative Board in Norrbotten which is responsible for the follow-up of
the regional work, the evaluation and the production of information material
about minorities by the National Agency for Education, and also the assignment
of the National Council for Cultural Affairs to investigate how minority
cultures should gain sufficient scope in Swedish cultural life.

The Sami Parliament

The Sami Parliament is a national administrative authority and, at the same
time, a representative popular elected organ that represents the Sami. The
Sami Parliament, which was established in 1993, was formed to ensure that
international law provides support for the Sami to themselves be allowed to
decide about their cultural and also to some extent their commercial
development. An investigation concerning the future form and assignment of the
Sami Parliament has been under way since the autumn of 2000.

Activities within the Government Offices linked to national minority groups:

i) Roma Working Group

The Government appointed a working group in 1996 with the task of
submitting proposals for work that can promote the situation of the Roma in
Swedish society.

The Roma Working Group consists of representatives for a number of
ministries and Roma representatives, the National Integration Office and also
from the local government sector, among others. A unanimous Working Group
presented in 1997 the report Roma in Sweden - together in change (Ministry
Report 1997:49). The activities of the Working Group develop continuously were
characterised and adapted increasingly to Sweden’s policy for national
minorities. The basis for the Working Group is that work to improve the
situation of the Roma people must take place together with Roma people.

ii) The Delegation for Indigenous People

The Delegation for Indigenous People consists of individual Sami and
experts from cultural life, the research world and the Government Offices and
reports to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. The objectives of
the Delegation for Indigenous People are, among other things, to follow up
those objectives affecting Sweden contained in the Decade of Indigenous People
declared by the UN. The objectives are also to contribute to increased Sami
self-determination and the participation of Sami in political life increasing,
promote Sami culture and contribute to increasing the awareness of the general
public concerning the Sami cultural heritage.

iii) Information efforts concerning Sami

The Government decided in December 2000 on a national information effort
concerning Sami in Sweden and Sami culture. This information effort is
intended to stretch over five years and is aimed, among other things, at
increasing knowledge about and an understanding of Sami and Sami culture on
the part of the majority population.

Political participation

There are no political national parties in Sweden that specially represent
the national minorities. Politically active nationals with belonging to
minorities are included in parties according to their political residence. No
places in the Riksdag are reserved for national minorities, but there are a
number of Riksdag members with minority backgrounds.

Political elections to the Sami Parliament

Those Sami who are listed in the Sami electoral register are entitled to
vote in elections to the Sami Parliament. (For a description of electoral
register and voting rules, see Appendix 6). The Sami Parliament has the task
of protecting the interests of the Sami, among other things, as regards Sami
culture, Sami businesses and the work with the Sami language. The Sami
Parliament decision-making assembly comprises 31 popular elected members, who
represent eleven Sami Parliament parties. The first Sami Parliament election
was held in 1993. The parties represent various interests and groups, for
example reindeer owners, forestry owners and hunting and fishing.

Voting rights

Every Swedish national over the age of 18 is entitled to vote at elections
for the Riksdag, municipality and county council. Nationals of the European
Union and also nationals of Iceland and Norway are entitled to vote in
municipal and county council elections subject to the same pre-conditions of
Swedish nationals. Other persons, who are not Swedish nationals but are
registered as resident in Sweden, are entitled to vote at municipal and county
council elections after having been resident in Sweden for three years.

People who belong to the national minority groups in Sweden are, to a great
extent, Swedish nationals. In an international comparison, it is relatively
easy to attain Swedish nationality. In the spring of 2001, the Riksdag passed
a new Swedish Citizenship Act (2001:82), which, among other things, means that
dual citizenship is allowed and also that it is made easier for children and
young people to become Swedish nationals. The new Act enters into force on 1
July 2001.

Participation in economic life

The economic assignment of the Sami Parliament

According to the Sami Parliament Act, the Sami Parliament shall allocate
the funds that have been appropriated by the national budget for Sami culture
and also funds for Sami culture and Sami organisations that are payable from
the Sami Fund. The Sami Parliament is also the authority responsible for the
payment of compensation for damage caused by predatory animals to the Sami
villages as regards damage caused by wolves, wolverines, lynx, bears and
golden eagles. Following Sweden’s entry into the EU, the Sami Parliament is
responsible for the Sami programme included in the EU’s structural fund
programme for the development of Sami culture and reindeer industry, and is
the decision-making authority for structural fund resources. The Sami
Parliament in Sweden is also responsible for the joint secretariat that will
handle the EU’s support to the Sami inter-regional programme (Interreg II),
which is a joint programme for the Sami Parliaments in Finland, Norway and
Sweden.

Participation in cultural life

The national minorities have a rich culture, which among other things, is
manifested in various forms of artistic activity. This contributes to
preserving and developing the minority cultures in Sweden, at the same as it
enriches the cultural life in general.

When distributing the State support to literature and culture periodicals,
the national minorities shall be taken into account in particular. In order to
facilitate this, the support has been increased by one million kronor as of
year 2000. The National Council for Cultural Affairs has recently reported its
assignment to investigate how Sami, Finnish, Tornedal, Roma and also Jewish
culture should be afforded sufficient scope in Swedish cultural life (cf.
under Article 5). This work was conducted in consultation with representatives
for the national minorities.

The Sami Parliament has an important role as the distributor of financial
funds for Sami cultural activities. According to the Sami Parliament Act, the
Sami Parliament allocates the funds that are appropriated via the national
budget for Sami culture and also the funds to Sami culture and Sami
organisations that are payable from the Sami Fund. Among the recipients,
mention may be made of the Sami Theatre, the Sami Handicraft Foundation and
the Sami Library.

Participation in social life

The Roma in Sweden, as in many other countries, find themselves in a
situation of exclusion that is characterised by an inadequacy regarding
participation in society. There are many factors that have contributed to the
current situation. Discrimination, low levels of education and previous
pressures for assimilation are some of these. In recent years, a large number
of Roma local associations have been newly formed, which have demonstrated to
have increased the participation of the Roma in community life. The majority
of associations are affiliated with the umbrella organisation, the Roma
National Union. A substantial proportion of the Roma in Sweden are also
engaged in church activities, particularly within the Pentecostal Church where
they have their own parishes and priests.

The spread of drug abuse is also increasing among Roma youth. After
initiatives by young Roma, the State has provided financial support to the
drama documentary Grofo (The Count), which is about a young drug
addict. The actors are Roma and the language Roma. The film has been
translated into Russian and Czechoslovakian. Furthermore, it may be mentioned
that the Government has provided financial support to a project that has been
initiated and led by Roma for information and dialogue in connection with
police and journalist training

ARTICLE 16

The Parties shall refrain from measures which alter the proportions of the
population in areas inhabited by persons belonging to national minorities and
are aimed at restricting the rights and freedoms flowing from the principles
enshrined in the present framework Convention.

The Government considers that the administrative division of the country
does not constitute an impediment to promoting regional or minority languages.
In the assessment of the Government, the current division does not constitute
such an impediment. Provisions concerning the pre-conditions for amendments to
the municipal division contained in the Swedish Municipalities and County
Council Boundaries Act (1979:411) is, in the opinion of the Government,
sufficient to be able to satisfy the requirements of the framework Convention.
Chapter 1, Section 1 of the Act prescribes that an amendment to the division
of Sweden into municipalities can be made if such an amendment can be assumed
to involve lasting advantages for a municipality or part of a municipality or
other advantages from the public viewpoint. Special regard should be taken to
the, or those, municipalities that are most immediately affected by the
division. If such a municipality opposes an amendment to the division, a
decision to implement an amendment may only be made if there are extraordinary
reasons. Particularly regard should also be taken to the wishes and views of
the population. It is stated in Chapter 1, Section 22, that an investigation
concerning an amendment to the municipal boundaries should comprise all
circumstances involved in the matter. In connection with the investigation,
there shall be consultation with all those municipalities that have an
interest in the matter.

ARTICLE 17

The Parties undertake not to interfere with the right of persons belonging
to national minorities to establish and maintain free and peaceful contacts
across frontiers with persons lawfully staying in other States, in particular
those with whom they share an ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious
identity, or a common cultural heritage.

The Parties undertake not to interfere with the right of persons belonging
to national minorities to participate in the activities of non-governmental
organisations, both at the national and international levels.

Sweden has a long history of the involvement of citizens in
non-governmental organisations. The Swedish Government values and encourages
the work conducted on a voluntary basis at both the national and international
level.

SSF's Comment:17-01

The statements that "Sweden has a long history of the
involvement of citizens in non-governmental organisations" and that
"The Swedish Government values and encourages the work conducted on
a voluntary basis at both the national and international level"
when viewed from a Scanian perspective are complete fiction. The Scanian
question was not even put on the government’s agenda and it refuses
both to acknowledge the existence of, and to engage in discussions with,
regional NGO organisations. There are many examples of official letters
from Scanian cultural organisations being completely ignored. The
authorities do not accept any participation in investigative work and
studies and there are examples of how the government has simply
eliminated Scanian cultural organisations from its lists of parties to
be consulted regarding bill proposals and the like. The government has
also decided not to react to missives from international NGO
organisations such as the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation
(UNPO), the Federal Union of European Nations (FUEN), and the European
Federation Maison de Pays (FEMP) who have written to the Swedish
government on behalf of Scanian interests.

For many years there has been co-operation between Sami organisations in
Sweden and other Nordic countries as regards Sami issues. The Sami Council
activity is financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers. This is a joint body
for Sami in Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden which has the task of
protecting the economic, social and cultural interests of the Sami, which also
includes language.

The minority groups arrange and participate in international exchanges and
collaboration. The European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL), and the
Swedish branch called the Swedish Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (SWEBLUL)[12],
work with the development and promotion of exchange between groups who speak
minority languages in various regions in Europe.

SSF's Comment:17-02

Representatives of Scania have long been in close contact with the
main office of the EBLUL, first in Dublin and later in Brussels, while
the Swedish SWEBLUL has never reacted to or replied to any letters sent
to the Swedish section.

ARTICLE 18

1. The Parties shall endeavour to conclude, where necessary, bilateral
and multilateral agreements with other States, in particular neighbouring
States, in order to ensure the protection of persons belonging to the national
minorities concerned.

2. Where relevant, the Parties shall take measures to encourage
transfrontier co-operation.

Sweden is collaborating with other countries in the Nordic Council and the
Nordic Council of Ministers on several issues. Through the Helsinki Agreement
(Sweden’s Agreements with Foreign Powers - SÖ 1962:14), Sweden has
established collaboration with the other Nordic countries, which affects,
among other things, culture and education. The Nordic Sami Institute has the
task of, through research and information, improving the status of the Sami
minority socially, legally and economically. The Nordic countries have
concluded a contract concerning radio broadcasts and production of television
programmes in Sami.

Through the Barents Sea Council and Regional Council, Finland, Norway,
Russia and Sweden together with regions in these countries are working
together on, among other things, indigenous peoples’ issues.

In Tornedalen, collaboration is being conducted, among other ways, through
the Tornedal Council and between the neighbouring cities of Torneå and
Haparanda. International collaboration is conducted in accordance with the
Frontier Rivers Agreement on the Administration of Torne River.

Sweden has initiated contacts with both Norway and Finland concerning
collaboration and exchange of experience on matters concerning national
minorities. In addition to this, discussions have been commenced concerning a
more detailed collaboration between Sweden and Finland concerning minority
policies in the form of a special working group. Such a working group should
be orientated towards issues concerning the position of Finnish in Sweden and
the position of Swedish in Finland, together with other joint minority policy
issues.

Appendix 1 Sweden’s five national minorities

Information about Sweden’s five minority groups. These texts concerning
the national minorities are extracted from the Government Bill 1998/99:143
National Minorities in Sweden. They are somewhat shortened in this
presentation.

The Sami

The Sami are an indigenous people who are found in the northern parts of
the present Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia.
Important elements of the Sami culture are the Sami language, the reindeer,
Sami handicrafts, the traditional costume, the chant and food culture. Many
years ago, the Sami also had their own religion. The modern Sami cultural life
also includes Sami theatre, art and literature.

An important element of the Sami identity is the Sami language. Sami is a
Finno-Ugric language which, like other languages, has changed over the years.
There has never been any absolute border for the various Sami language
varieties that exist in Sweden, namely North Sami, Lule Sami and South Sami.
Within the area of the traditional places of settlement, the mutual
understanding is greatest between varieties that are spoken in geographical
areas bordering upon each other. Another central basis for the identity of the
Sami is their status as an indigenous people. The Riksdag also confirmed this
in 1977, when it was concluded that the Sami are an indigenous people in
Sweden and that as such they have a special status.

The Sami population in Sweden amounts to approximately 15,000-20,000
persons. They mostly live in the traditional areas of settlement from Idre in
Dalarna to Kiruna in Norrbotten. Approximately 2,500 of those Sami who live in
this area are occupied with reindeer husbandry. Many Sami are nowadays also
resident in the coastal areas in northern and central Sweden and also in the
Stockholm area.

The Sami have over the years organised themselves in different ways. In
ancient times, there was among the Sami the siida system, an own
organisation within the framework of which, among other things, common
decisions were made and law administered. In contemporary times, there are
other forms of organisations that vary from Sami villages to various Sami
associations and Sami parties. There are several Sami national organisations.
Within the Church of Sweden there is a Church of Sweden Sami Council. Two
diocesan curate posts have also been established for activities among the
Sami.

The Swedish Finns

The Finnish language has been spoken in Sweden for a very long time. For
approximately 600 years, up to 1809, Sweden and Finland were a united nation.
During this period, there was active mobility among the population.
Finnish-speaking citizens were for a short or long time in the western part
(now Sweden) where Swedish dominated. Swedish-speaking citizens were in the
eastern part (now Finland) where Finnish dominated. It is indicated by sources
from the 16th century that Finnish was spoken in Stockholm and in
the Mälar Valley at that time. The first Finnish parish was founded in
Stockholm in 1533. The Finnish parish is a non-territorial parish within the
Swedish Church.

Finnish has also been spoken in other parts of Sweden during various
periods. Towards the end of the 16th century, the so-called Forest
Finns came from the Finnish Savolax to Dalarna, Värmland, Medelpad,
Hälsingland, Gästrikland and Ångermanland in order to conduct burn-beating.
The Forest Finns spoke Finnish and they may also be said to have had a special
culture surrounding the burn-beating. However, the Finnish language almost
completely fell into disuse in Finnmark during the 19th century and
the first half of the 20th century. However, Finnish continued to
be spoken in Stockholm together with the regions around the Mälar Valley
where newly arrived citizens from the eastern half of the Realm moved due to
war during the 1720s and around the year 1808. During the period from the turn
of the century until the Second World War, the majority of Finnish-speaking
people continued to reside in the City and County of Stockholm and also in
Norrbotten.

Swedish Finns differ from the majority population in Sweden, both by their
language and by their culture. The cultural expression is visible within a
number of different areas. There is a great interest on the part of Swedish
Finns to preserve their language and their cultural distinctiveness in Sweden.

Today, approximately 450,000 first and second generation Swedish Finns live
in Sweden (Statistics Sweden, 31 December 1994), of which about half use
Finnish. The majority moved to Sweden after the Second World War. The peak for
moving to Sweden came about 1970 and has since then reduced. Swedish Finns
have for many years been a well-organised group in Sweden. One example is the
Stockholm Finnish Association which was formed in the 1830s. Another is the
Stockholm Finnish Federation, which celebrated its 105th jubilee
1998. In 1957 the National Association of Finns in Sweden was formed, which
today works, among other things, for the establishment of activities in the
Finnish languages within all areas of interest for Swedish Finns.

The Tornedalers

A Finnish-speaking settlement probably existed in the area around the Torne
River already before the Middle Ages. At that time, the Tornedalen was a
meeting and trading centre which made the area a multi-linguistic region. From
the Middle Ages, Finnish dominated among the peasantry in Tornedalen. When
Sweden, following the war with Russia in the years 1808-1809, had to cede its
eastern half of the Realm to Russia, this was done by a frontier being drawn
through the Tornedalen, so that the western part of the Tornedalen remained
Swedish territory. Notwithstanding this, the Tornedalers on both sides of the
frontier, which is formed by the Könkämä, Muonio and Torne Rivers, have
preserved both their language and their cultural heritage up to this day. The
Tornedalers distinguish themselves from the Swedish majority population
primarily by their language. The Tornedalers’ language, which has previously
often been referred to as Tornedal-Finnish, is nowadays called Meänkieli (‘our
language’).The characteristic feature of Meänkieli is, among other things,
that a number of Swedish words have been received into the vocabulary.

The Tornedalers have also their own food culture, craft and building style.
As with the Sami, middle-aged and older Tornedalers can describe what they
have suffered because they were not allowed to speak their language in school
when they were children. Nowadays, the situation is different, and during
recent years there has been increased activity to preserve their own language.

Today, there are approximately 50,000 Tornedalers in, above all else, the
municipalities of Haparanda, Övertorneå and Pajala and also in parts of the
municipalities of Kiruna and Gällivare. In addition to this, approximately
16,000 people live in the area who speak standard Finnish and who have
recently moved into the area. In recent years, interest for their own
distinctive character and identity has grown among Tornedalers. An expression
of this is the formation in 1981of the Swedish Tornedalian Association – Tornionlaaksolaiset
(STR-T). The Association aims to protect the linguistic and cultural interests
of these Tornedalers, among other things by preparing educational material and
a dictionary in Meänkieli in order to develop the written form of the
language.

Meänkieli has existed since 1993 as an obligatory teaching subject for the
year courses 1-9. In the same year, a Tornedaler Theatre was also established
and, in recent years, increasing literature in Meänkieli has been published.
Organised collaboration between municipalities in Swedish and Finnish
Tornedalen has been in progress since 1987, with support from the Nordic
Council of Ministers, in order to promote tourism and commercial activities
and also contribute to preserving the Tornedalers’ cultural heritage.

The Roma

The first Roma came to Sweden during the 16th century. Ever
since that time, Roma from different countries in Europe have come to Sweden
at different periods of time. When the first Roma arrived, both the secular
and church authorities in Sweden issued a large number of decrees and laws
with the purpose of expelling the Roma from Sweden or, later in history,
assimilating them compulsorily. The Roma who came to Sweden during the 16th,
17th and 18th centuries primarily lived in the eastern
half of the Realm (now Finland). During the second half of the 19th
century and for some years into the 20th century, a second
migration waive of Roma came to Sweden via Russia from Valakiet. The Roma
often lived a life moving around, not least due to the fact that they found it
difficult to obtain permanent alternatives. It was only during the last
century that the Roma and the travellers became permanently settled in a
number of different areas of the country.

The Roma have their own language, Romani Chib, their own culture and own
traditions that differ from those of the majority population. Romani Chib
comprises a number of different varieties (Finnish Romani, Kelderash, Lovari,
Tjurari, Sinto, Arli, Bugurji, Gurbet and Swedish Romani). The Roma originally
came from Northwest India and parts of present Pakistan and arrived in Europe
during the 13th century. Their language therefore traces foots to
Sanskrit. The Roma population is not homogenous but comprises different groups
that originally immigrated from different countries. Although the Roma in
Sweden belong to various "tribes" with various traditions and with
various varieties of Romani Chib, they state that they are and feel that they
are a cohesive people. The traditions of the Roma have not always been
accepted by the surrounding society, which has meant that many Roma felt that
they are discriminated against. Examples of this are the many complaints the
Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination receives from Roma who have been
denied access to public premises or treated less favourably than the majority
population in various ways.

Today there are approximately 35,000-40,000 Roma resident in Sweden. In
Sweden, one usually divides the Roma into various groups. This relates to the
approximately 2,500 so-called Swedish Roma who started to immigrate to Sweden
at the end of the 19th century, the 3,200 Finnish Roma who arrived
in Sweden already in the 16th century and who were later directed
to the former eastern part of the Realm of Sweden, which today is Finland, and
also the approximately 10,000 non-Nordic Roma who came to Sweden from, among
other places, Poland and other countries in Eastern Europe first in the 1960s
and the early 1970s. A further group comprises the recently arrived Roma from
the former Yugoslavia. In addition to this, there are also travellers. They
speak a variety of Romani Chib called Swedish Romani. It is estimated today
that travellers amount to approximately 20,000 people.

Through various Roma organisations, the Roma seek to protect their culture
and their traditions. At the beginning of 1973, the Nordic Gypsy Council was
formed, which became an umbrella organisation for the some fifteen various
Roma associations in Sweden and the Nordic countries. The organisation changed
its name to the Roma National Union (in Swedish: Romernas Riksförbund, RR) in
1999.

The Jews

The first Jews came to Sweden towards the end of the 17th
century. In 1775, Jews could settle in Sweden without having to be christened
and they were allowed to form a Jewish community in Stockholm with the right
to establish burial places, a synagogue and also bring in a Rabbi. During the
time that has passed since the first Jews came to Sweden, new groups of Jews
have come to Sweden, often as a result of persecution of the Jewish population
in various parts of Europe. Many Jews came to Sweden at the turn of the
century, primarily from the pogroms of tsarist Russia. Between the years 1860
and 1914, approximately 4,000 Jews came to Sweden from North Eastern Europe.
The majority were strictly orthodox in the practice of their religion and
spoke Yiddish. Between the years 1933 and 1941, approximately 2,000 Jews
received entry permits for Sweden. During the months June – July 1945, more
than 10,000 Jews were saved and came to Sweden with the assistance of the Red
Cross. A few thousand of these remained. In the latter part of the 1940s, a
group of Jews came who were fleeing from anti-Semitism in Poland. Hungarian
Jews also came during the middle of the 1950s, fleeing the Soviet invasion of
Hungary. A further waive of Polish Jews came to Sweden between the years 1968
and 1970 as a consequence of anti-Semitism and during the 1990s a group also
came from the former Soviet Union.

Jews have their own religion, Judaism, their own culture, own languages and
ancient traditions, which differ from the Swedish majority population. Yiddish
was spoken by those Jews who first came to Sweden and then it was not until
the end of the 19th century before the next group of
Yiddish-speaking people came to Sweden. With the inflow of refugees after the
Second World War, Yiddish was revitalised. The importance of this as a part of
the Jewish culture has, in recent time, prompted renewed interest. The Jewish
population in Sweden has, to a great extent, preserved their religion, their
traditions and their languages. Even Jews who do not consider themselves to
live an orthodox life, participate for example in Shabbas services, celebrate
Jewish weekends and observe kosher, i.e. respect Jewish dietary laws.

Approximately 25,000 Jews live in Sweden today, if one includes both those
who have two parents of Jewish descent and those who have a mother or father
who is of Jewish descent. The majority of the Jewish population lives in
Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. There are also independent communities in
these cities. In addition to these, there are a number of places such as
Borås, Västerås, Helsingborg, Lund and Norrköping with small communities
that are linked to the three previously mentioned.

Appendix 2 Sweden’s largest immigrant groups

The largest groups of persons born outside the frontiers of Sweden are (31
December 1998)[13]:

Country of birth Number Length of stay in Sweden years 10 years and more

Finland 196 543 3 % 94 %

Yugoslavia 69 739 11 % 49 %

Bosnia- Herz.a 49 459 19 % 1 %

Iran 48 376 9 % 64 %

Norway 40 742 8 % 82 %

Poland 38 616 7 % 77 %

Denmark 37 247 7 % 87 %

Iraq 37 049 41 % 19 %

Germany 35 239 9 % 86 %

Turkey 30 112 11 % 71 %

Appendix 3 Penal provisions that are aimed directly or indirectly at acts
or expressions that are racist or discriminatory, etc.

The provision concerning unlawful discrimination contained in
Chapter 16, Section 9 of the Penal Code is aimed directly at various kinds of
discrimination. According to this provision, it is punishable to in business
operations or when arranging public assemblies or public exhibitions
discriminate against anyone on the grounds, among other things, of race, skin
colour, national or ethnic origin or religious creed or homosexual
orientation. The provision also applies to a person who is employed in public
service or holds a public office. The penalty is a fine or imprisonment of at
most one year.

The provision concerning agitation against an ethnic group contained
in Chapter 16, Section 8 of the Penal Code is of interest in this connection.
The criminal act comprises someone in statements or other communications that
are disseminated, threatening or expressing contempt for an ethnic group or
other such group of persons with allusion to race, skin colour, national or
ethnic origin or religious creed. The penalty is imprisonment for at most two
years or, in cases that are not serious, a fine.

According to the provisions contained in Chapter 5, Section 3 of the Penal
Code concerning insulting behaviour, it is punishable to by an
insulting epithet or accusation or other outrageous conduct vilify another,
for example with allusion to race or ethnic origin. Prosecutions for the
offence of defamation may normally only be brought by an aggrieved
party. However, special prosecutions apply as regards insults with reference
to, among other things, race, skin colour or national or ethnic origin.
Insults are also punishable when the act is committed through written
periodicals, films, sound recordings and other such means as are subject to
the Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on the Freedom of
Expression. This provision also applies when the act is committed on the
Internet, for example through a website.

Protection against racist acts is also contained in the provisions on inciting
rebellion contained in Chapter 16, Section 5 of the Penal Code. According
to this provision, it is punishable to orally before a crowd or congregation
of people, or in a publication distributed or released for distribution, or in
other message to the public, urge or otherwise attempt to entice people to
commit a criminal act. Incitement is punishable even when the act is committed
through printed periodicals, films, sound recordings or other such means as
are subject to the Freedom of the Press Act and Fundamental Law on the Freedom
of Expression. The provisions also apply when the Act is committed on the
Internet, for example through a website.

There are also other provisions contained in the Penal Code which, without
particularly relating to the conduct of racist or similar character, may be
used to protect individuals against molestation and violations of a racist
nature. For example, reference may be made to the provisions concerning assault
(Chapter 3, Section 5 of the Penal Code), unlawful threat (Chapter 4,
Section 5 of the Penal Code), molestation (Chapter 4, Section 7 of the
Penal Code) and criminal damage (Chapter 12, Section 1 of the Penal
Code).

When assessing the culpability of an offence, the motive behind the offence
shall be taken into account. When the motive for the offence was to violate a
person or a group of persons on the ground of race, skin colour, national or
ethnic origin, religious creed or other similar circumstance, this shall be
deemed to constitute an aggravating circumstance according to Chapter 29,
Section 7 of the Penal Code.

Agitation against an ethnic group is punishable even if the dissemination
of the agitation takes place via the Internet, e.g. on a website. Agitation
against an ethnic group is also punishable when the dissemination is effected
through printed material, films, sound recordings or other media that is
subject to the Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on the Freedom
of Expression.

The provision concerning agitation against an ethnic group means that it is
unlawful, except within the completely private context, to disseminate
statements that express a threat or disrespect towards an ethnic group or
another group of people. Furthermore, dissemination within an association or
other limited group is penalised. The provision does not only cover verbal and
written presentations but also, for example, presentations in the form of
images and gestures.

The Supreme Court laid down in a judgment of 1996 that the wearing/bearing
of symbols that can be linked to the persecution by the Nazis of Jewish people
and other ethnic groups before and during the Second World War may constitute
agitation against an ethnic group. Following the judgment of the Supreme
Court, a number of prosecutions for agitation against an ethnic group have
been instituted for wearing/bearing, for example, Swastikas and also for
so-called Heil Hitler salutes and cries of Sieg Heil. The judgment comprises a
welcome clarification for, not least, the police service, but also for example
in the education service.

Other penal provisions

Unlawful military activities

There is a special provision concerning criminal liability regarding
associations that must be considered to constitute or, in view of their
character and the purpose for which they have been organised, are easily
capable of developing into an instrument of force, such as a military troop or
a police force. This does not apply to associations that, in accordance with
the appropriate licence, strengthen the Swedish defence establishment or
police forces. According to Chapter 18, Section 4 of the Penal Code, a
sentence of imprisonment of at most two years shall be imposed for unlawful
military activities on a person who organises or participates in such an
association or who, for such an association, possesses weapons, ammunition or
other similar equipment, allows the use of premises or land for its activities
or supports it with money or in another way.

Amendment of provision concerning ‘leading your astray’

According to Chapter 16, Section 12 of the Penal Code, it is also now
possible (since 1 January 1999) for a person who disseminates among children
and young people, among other things, CDs that by their content "may
coarsen or otherwise involve serious risk for the moral nurture of the
young" shall be sentenced for leading youth astray to a fine or
imprisonment of at most six months. These provisions may, notwithstanding the
provisions of the Fundamental Law on the Freedom of Expression, be applied
among other times when racist propaganda on CDs has been disseminated to young
people. As regards intervention before any dissemination has taken place, i.e.
before the disc is published, the provisions of the Swedish constitutional
laws apply concerning the prohibition of censorship in Sweden. However, when
it is actually issued there is no longer any sole liability. A disseminator
can then be sentenced for leading youth astray without it needing to be
investigated whether there is any responsible publisher and irrespective of
other rules relating to time limitations, except those generally applicable
according to the Penal Code.

Appendix 4 Religious communities

Besides the Church of Sweden, there are at present seven religious
communities that have been granted assistance with charges. These are:

the Swedish Mission Federation

Swedish Alliance Mission

Swedish Baptist Federation

the Roman Catholic Church

the New Builders – Christian Collaboration

the Methodist Church in Sweden

the Salvation Army.

Appendix 5 Publications translated into minority languages

Examples of documents/publications that have been translated into minority
language:

Laws on the right to use Sami, Finnish and
Meänkieli in administrative authorities and courts of law. (1999:1175 and
1999:1176) [translated into those languages affected: Sami (North, Lule and
South Sami), Finnish and Meänkieli].

Fact sheets on national minorities in Sweden
[translated into Sami, (North, Lule and South Sami), Finnish, Meänkieli,
Romani Chib (Kalderash and Arli) and Yiddish].

Publications relevant to the northern
administrative areas, for example material from the Social Insurance Office
in the County of Norrbotten.

Appendix 6 Sami electoral register and voting rights

Sami electoral register

Those who feel that they are Sami and have or have had Sami as a language
at home are, according to Chapter 1, Section 2 Sami Parliament Act
(1992:1433), entitled to be included in the electoral register and thereby are
entitled to vote. This right also applies if one’s parents, paternal or
maternal grandparents have or have had Sami as a language at home, or if one
has a parent who is listed in the electoral register.

Voting rights in the Sami Parliament election

Voting rights in the Sami Parliament election has, according to Chapter 3,
Section 3 Sami Parliament Act(1992:1433), those who are included in the Sami
electoral register. In order to be allowed to vote in the Sami Parliament
election, a person must, have attained the age of 18 on the date of the
election and be a Swedish national. If the person is not a Swedish national he
or she must have been registered as resident in Sweden for the last three
years.

APPENDIX
1a

Prepared by Stiftelsen
Skånsk Framtid (SSF)

The Historic and Cultural Regions in Sweden

The
Swedish Government completely disregarded the historic and cultural
regional situation in Sweden as illustrated below, when it made the
decision to create trial administrative regions and set up the
regional institutions now present in some parts of the country. The
present regional institutions was given very limited authority by
the state government and therefore found poor support among the
population of the region

s.

APPENDIX 1b

PRESENTATION OF SSF

What
is SSF?

Stiftelsen
Skånsk Framtid (The Foundation for the Future of Scania) (SSF) is a non-profit
organisation, free from financial and party political restraints. SSF supports
open relations in all directions and works for increased regional self-rule in
Sweden and Europe, particularly in the fields of language and culture. SSF is
actively working to influence public opinion. Decentralisation, grassroots
democracy and subsidarity are key words. SSF is active within the areas of
culture, business, democracy, human cultural rights, etc.

SSF
is a member of the following organisations

Since 1991 in Federal Union for European Nations, Flensborg (FUEN)

Since 1993 in Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation, The Hague (UNPO)

Since 1999 in European Federation Maison de Pays, Le Cannet
(FEMP)

What
does SSF want?

That all decisions that can be taken regionally should be taken regionally.

That regional political decision-making institutions should be strengthened.

That a regionalisation of the centralised party political system should be supported.

That the regions should have better representation in the European Union.

That the public sector should be organised according to regions.

That issues of culture and language should be handled by the regional and local levels.

That a regionalisation of the private business sector should be supported.

How
does SSF operate?

Publishing books, pamphlets, etc.

Holding seminars and lectures.

Writing newspaper articles and debating contributions.

Monitoring the activities of the Government, the Swedish Parliament and the Regional Government.

Participating in Government Commissions.

Being active in international organisations for human cultural rights.

Supporting regional cultural movements internationally.

Promoting and disseminating knowledge about regionalism as a political alternative.